I have read plenty of books and articles that mentioned the importance of having celery at an Amish wedding, but in reality most Amish communities don't. Interestingly enough something that I never read was the significance of a wedding cake that means much more to a lot of Amish weddings than celery does.
When we were getting ready for our wedding LV and I baked our wedding cake. Grandma Mast owned several huge round cake pans that brides used to borrow to make their wedding cakes. On the morning we were to bake our cake I ran over to their house and got the pans. I was looking forward to making the biggest cake I ever had. Each pan was big enough to hold enough batter for one and a half regular cakes and we were planning to have four layers.
LV and I worked together. Each layer was going to be a different. We were both getting two layers with our favorite flavor. I measured, he stirred, and we both enjoyed working together to create this cake.
Once it was done and frosted with a pure white frosting it was ready to tower above everything else on our wedding table. A symbol of two different lives coming together to build a new and better one. And somewhat a picture of marriage, of working together, a mixing and blending, still two different people, but now having a common goal.
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I have often wondered about the significance of celery, mentioned in many books that I've read.
ReplyDeleteCake sounds much nicer!
What a beautiful remembrance you have shared. I wish more brides and grooms would get into the kitchen to make their wedding cake. A lovely idea and tradition. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThat is a beautiful story and a tradition I wasn't aware of. I wonder just how much in the books that I read is real and what is pure fiction from the author.
ReplyDeleteThank you for taking the time to tell us about your life, both now and your childhood.
Blessings,
Betsy
I enjoyed reading this post! I love the tradition of making the wedding cake together, and the symbolism that it represents :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a special task to share together
ReplyDeleteCelery ... ?
ReplyDeleteNot that I've ever read anything about Amish weddings, but ... celery?
Maybe it's just because we ate a lot of celery when I was growing up, but to me, that would be like saying potatoes or green beans were an important element of a wedding. (Nothing against potatoes or green beans - I just don't associate them with anything special.)
What a great memory ! I love that you made it together. Is that traditional or just what you both decided to do ?
ReplyDeleteI have a lovely Amish recipe for creamed celery which is supposed how it is prepared for weddings. Maybe I should dig it out and try it for supper, tonight!
ReplyDeleteI finally caught up!!! After reading in another blog giveaway of your book, I saw you were a former Somerset County Amish. It peaked my interest because I grew up and live in that area as well. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading EVERYTHING and cannot wait to purchase your books to read! It was really neat making many connections to the people/places you mentioned! Congratulations on all of your achievements, and I look forward to reading more!!!
ReplyDeleteClisby, I know, right! I never understood the whole celery thing either. Mostly it is only the Lancaster Amish and the daughter communities that use celery at weddings.
ReplyDeleteBillie Gann, The bride and groom helping each other make the wedding cake is traditional in a lot of Amish communities, but not all.
I asked Esther Keim about using celery at her wedding (Old Order Amish--conservative from Ashland, Ohio). She told me it was a significant part of the wedding table--they used it as flowers, too. But she didn't know why--it was just something that was "always done." I think it depends on the Amish group as to if it is used--definitely not something I made up for my book The Miting! Everything in the book is from my former Amish friends' experiences (mostly conservative Old Order and Swartzentruber from Ashland County, Ohio.)
ReplyDeleteWhy do you call them former Amish friends? Won't any of them associate with you you anymore?
ReplyDeleteWhy do you call them former Amish friends? Won't any of them associate with you you anymore?
ReplyDelete