The Amish culture is rich with centuries-old traditions and unique customs. Family life, simple living, and maintaining their community’s independence are of the utmost importance.
With that in mind, an Amish marriage is taken seriously and is a lifelong commitment.
The Amish choose partners for life and have large families with an average of 7 children. The Amish divorce rate is virtually zero because divorce is against the community rules (known as Ordnung).
Their approach to simple living is embodied by wearing plain dress, possessing a small wardrobe, and not owning any personal jewelry.
So, many people want to know – do Amish wear wedding rings? The answer is a simple no.
Let’s delve into some of the most interesting Amish traditions to understand why Amish marital traditions differ so much from the rest of North America.
Howto Tell If an Amish Person Is Married
Amish courtship is key to finding the right perfect partner. With the Amish typically getting married in their early twenties, courting begins a few years prior.
If an Amish relationship is going well, the couple may decide to get engaged. Don’t get too excited about hearing exciting engagement-announcement stories any time soon. The couple often keeps it a secret for a few months.
Once the secret is out, the family of the bride-to-be get stuck into wedding preparations.
On the morning of the wedding, up to 600 guests arrive at the bride’s house, where the wedding takes place. The wedding ceremony is strikingly similar to a normal church service run by the bishop.
At the end of the sermon, he will invite the happy couple to stand and they will exchange their wedding vows. Guests enjoy two meals at an Amish wedding that can last from morning until well after dark, filled with celebration and nourishing Amish wedding foods.
What Single Amish Men Wear
When people think of the Amish, images of people wearing plain clothes often come to mind. This is because the Amish don’t value vanity and don’t bring attention to the body, but instead focus on internal intentions.
Their clothes are made from store-bought fabrics by the women in their community. The clothes are functional and plain, but also have a religious aspect of conformity to them.
Amish men are respectable dressers and like to keep things simple.
They wear solid-colored pants, short and long-sleeved shirts, and jackets. Dark colors are favorites in the Amish communities. Belts and buttons are considered too flashy, so they prefer to wear suspenders.
Hats are also a common sight in Amish communities. Straw hats and black felt hats are very popular. There aren’t any particular rules about men wearing hats so they wear them according to the season.
Single Amish men are always clean-shaven and do not grow beards.
What Single Amish Women Wear
There’s a stricter dress code for women than for men.
Amish women wear plain, dark-colored dresses which cover their arms and legs completely. Recently, more progressive communities have introduced bright colors such as orange and yellow into their color spectrum, although they are a minority in the general Amish community.
While Amish women may not wear stylish clothing, they’re talented at making unique wicker Easter baskets, garden harvest baskets, countertop bread boxes, and faceless Amish dolls. Their dedication and hard work in making these traditional Amish items make them even more valuable than ever-changing fashion trends.
What’s more, Amish women can be spotted by their bonnets. Before she gets married, an Amish woman will wear a black bonnet to signify her single relationship status.
What happens once married? Do Amish wear wedding rings? Let’s look at what Amish men and women wear to find out.
What Married Amish Men Wear
Men don’t change their clothing once married.
Instead, married men grow their beards as a symbol of manhood. Because marriage is a statement of becoming a man, it makes sense that the men want to demonstrate this with a physical display, too.
What Married Amish Women Wear
At their weddings, Amish brides wear a traditional blue or purple dress similar to their normal day-to-day clothes. After the wedding, this dress becomes part of her wardrobe for Sunday church services. This highlights the modest and practical lifestyle of the Amish.
Like men, women don’t change their clothing after getting married.
As mentioned, an unmarried woman wears a black bonnet, however, a married woman swaps it out for a white bonnet.
She’s required to wear her bonnet, sometimes called a head covering or prayer covering, at all times. Even at home, she’s expected to cover her head with a bandana (choosing not to wear her regular bonnet so it doesn’t get ruined).
Christianity is the basis for most of the Amish traditions, and sure enough, the bonnets are written into the passages of the Bible.
They represent submission to their creator and are a way to signify separation from the rest of society. The bonnets are also a symbol of modesty and are a helpful way to identify a woman in a committed relationship.
Interestingly, many religions around the world share this same belief.
Conclusion
In line with their beliefs and traditions, the Amish don’t wear personal jewelry. While this means they don’t show off their marriage in the way most other Americans do, they’re no less joyous and celebratory of their commitment. If anything, they’re much more focused on what really makes a marriage thrive: an admirable dedication to their families. That’s something to applaud in today’s fast-paced, materialistic society.
We could all learn a thing or two from this approach to life. Why not add some ease into your life with these elegant kitchen storage baskets for shelves, under bed storage baskets, and bicycle baskets?
FAQs
How many wives does an Amish man have? (FAQs)
The Amish are monogamous, so an Amish man can only ever have one wife at a time. There’s no such thing as Amish polygamy. However, they’re allowed to remarry following the death of a spouse.
Do Amish couples need a marriage license? (FAQs)
Yes, the Amish are required to and do obtain marriage licenses. Their marriages are therefore recognized by the state.
At what age do the Amish get married? (FAQs)
They tend to get married in their early twenties, between 20-22 years old.
Do the Amish have arranged marriages? (FAQs)
No, the Amish don’t have arranged marriages. Plus, men and women have an equal say regarding who they marry.
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- Amish Wedding Dinner
- How to Tell If an Amish Man Is Married
- Amish Rules for Women
- Amish Bedroom Ritual
- Amish Ordnung
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- Amish Traditions
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