All Things Amish, and Amish Weddings

I had so much fun researching for my current release, A Wedding for Julia. If you’ve read the story, you know the opening scene is actually a funeral. I haven’t attended an Amish funeral, so that took a lot of research on my part. I also haven’t attended an Amish wedding! So how does a writer describe scenes they haven’t experienced?

girls visiting before an Amish wedding, Cashton, Wisconsin

One thing I do is read a lot. When I’ve visited Amish communities in Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin, Texas, and Pennsylvania … I try to purchase books about Amish traditions and customs. Many of these books are written by Amish and or Mennonite authors, and it certainly helps to have their first-hand perspective.

with Krist Stutzman, Lolly’s Fabrics, Shipshewana, IN

I also use the internet. There are many good sites, most of which are supported by Mennonite communities, that provide information on the Amish way of life.

Probably the best way I can learn about the Amish is to write, call or email Amish friends. Kris Stutzman (the owner of Lolly’s Fabrics) has been especially helpful. Kris was raised Amish and is now Mennonite. She lives and works in Shipshewana, deep in the heart of Indiana Amish country. if Kris doesn’t know the answer to something, she’ll ask her friends or her husband! Friends like this make my job of writing a lot easier.

I wish I could take each of you with me when I visit Amish communities, but since I can’t I try to make the scenes in my books as authentic as possible. And Amish weddings? They are a very special thing indeed to write about.

Blessings,

V