Today was a fun day. I got to see the work that goes into planning an Amish wedding dinner.
My husband's brother Kevin is getting married to a beautiful Amish girl tomorrow, so we get to experience first-hand the organized planning that goes into such an exciting event as this one.
The above picture is of James and Joel, the bride's nephews.
In the background, you can see the tables we helped to prepare on Saturday, all set and ready to seat 250 people per seating. The couple invited 750 people. There are other weddings in the community so they are guessing not everyone will show. The Amish don't use rsvp's at their weddings. So some of planning is a guessing game. Tomorrow they will serve lunch and dinner. The youth will attend the evening meal.
There is something called an "eck" (corner), which is the table for the bridal party. There's a lot of thought that goes into this table, which is set up in the corner of the shop where the reception is held.
In this picture, the cake, made with 11 cake mixes, baked and designed by an Amish mother, had just arrived, delivered with a driver to the bride's house in mid-afternoon the day before the wedding.
I can't wait to see finished display in morning! I had to leave before the flowers arrived.
I found this wagon loaded with sacks of potatoes waiting to be peeled when I arrived to help this morning.
250 pounds of potatoes were peeled for mashed potatoes...
...topped with brown butter, butter that has been melted and then browned, removed from the heat just before it burns. It makes all things taste heavenly! Sarah will pour the brown butter on top at the lunch, and, as you can see on the note, LuAnn will pour it on top of the delicious mashed potatoes in the evening.
I marvel at the organized system they have set up.
Here, the aunts of the bride were peeling potatoes...
...in the cook's trailer. It is rented out and comes with all the supplies and table settings that are needed for this big wedding.
It even includes these Bosch mixers to...
...make it easier for the ladies to turn the 20 8-quart kettles of cooked potatoes into luscious mashed potatoes.
Eight huge bowls of prepared stuffing are waiting to be fried up in the morning. I overheard they are starting that task at 7:15 a.m.
The bride's mom shared the recipe with me.
Stuffing (dressing) for an Amish wedding:
12 dozen eggs
1/2 cup salt
1/2 cup black pepper
8 quarts chicken broth
1 cup chicken base
7 bags carrots(chopped)
6 bags celery
6 gallons milk
1 cup seasoning salt
32 king-sized loaves of bread (cubed up and toasted in butter a couple days before)
8 pounds butter for frying it up.
It is put in big roasters and baked after its fried.
I'm guessing tomorrow might be a day where everyone attending this exciting event will kick their diets to the curb.
She also told me they ordered:
250 pounds of chicken,
250 pounds of chicken,
45 dozen dinner rolls,
650 cups of ice cream,
and 24 cheesecakes.
Here are the pie fillings that were made to top the cheesecakes.
These are the warmers that will keep the food hot until it's served.
This is where the dishwashers will wash all the dishes by hand. It's an honor if you're asked to help at an Amish wedding. There will be cooks, table waiters, "eck" table waiters, gift receivers, baby sitters, "hosllers" (men that help), name-signing clipboard passer. Please follow with me on all these Amish words. Some I just don't know how to translate.
Here, they were prepping the chicken in five-gallon pails. They sprayed 7up and sprinkled salt over every layer. There are 8 buckets are waiting to be fried up in the wee-hours of the morning. They'll arrive for this fun task at 4:00 a.m.
I got to take the groom and bride to a last minute trip to Walnut Creek Cheese to shop for food for "eck"
These steaks are served only to the bridal party in the evening.
The evening meal will be the same food as the lunch meal.
AMISH WEDDING MEAL
Dinner Roll
Salad
Chicken
Mashed Potatoes
Stuffing
Gravy
Cheesecake
Ice Cream
Hope I didn't miss anything!
The evening bridal table will be served a special meal of grilled steak and other favorites of the groom and bride.
During the day, I will hang out with the bride's married Amish sisters and pretend I know what I'm doing, answering questions and making sure things run smoothly. Our kids are excited as they all three will have parts in serving, too.
The family and closest friends are the ones asked to help at the wedding.
We will then be escorted to the ceremony right before they are married.
The ceremonies for an Amish wedding are three to four hours long.
I loved this picture of hats, that were the groom and the bride's fathers. They worked side-by-side like a team all day. Loved how they already seemed like father and son.
Tomorrow, I will have pictures of the bride and groom and everything that will take place at this .
I better finish this blog up and mosey on to bed! We have to leave the house at 5:45 a.m.
So excited!
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