Lovely day for an Amish wedding!

The Amish usually hold their weddings on Thursday mornings at the community schoolhouse or at the bride's family farm. They're long affairs, sometimes lasting over three hours. The bishop gives a lengthy sermon, conducts prayers and the ministers read from the bible and initiate the hymns. It's all in Pennsylvania Dutch. There are no musical instruments and the singing is solemn and serious. When the bride and groom stand to recite their simple vows, there are no flowers and the bride doesn't wear a fancy gown. Instead, she's in a polyester dress, covered with a white apron, similar to her usual garb, and her husband's black coat and pants match the other men in the room. The guests are split into two groups, separated by gender, except when it comes to the babies and toddlers, who are just as likely to be sitting on their father's laps as their mother's. By the time the service comes to an end, the guests are stiff and sore from sitting on the wooden benches for so long, but there is an air of excitement building as everyone files outside quietly. A mixture of buggies, vans and groups of people on foot make their way along the road to the reception dinner. Roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, stuffing, creamed corn and an assortment of delicious pies await the