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Amish Weddings: A Conversation with Author Beth Oberholtzer
Thursday, August 7, 2025
6:30 – 7:30 p.m.

On Thursday, August 7, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., St. Matthew Lutheran Church (700 Pleasure Road, Lancaster) will host “Amish Weddings: A Conversation with Author Beth Oberholtzer,” a presentation by Grandview Heights resident Beth Oberholtzer – a book designer and author of Amish Weddings, Amish Gardens of Lancaster County, Working Horses of Lancaster County, and Plain Meetinghouses.

While Amish romance novels continue to captivate readers, the heartfelt, authentic story behind real Amish weddings is no less captivating. In her new book Amish Weddings: From Courtship to Celebration (Herald Press, March 2025), Beth Oberholtzer explores
Amish traditions, relationships, and the community-wide celebrations that honor the union of two lives. As a native and current resident of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Oberholtzer takes an intimate look at the Amish courtship process and the daylong wedding events that serve as both religious ceremonies and community gatherings. With vivid storytelling, personal anecdotes, and evocative photography, Amish Weddings invites readers to witness the deep faith and enduring traditions that shape these unique celebrations.

“Though it’s easy to view the Amish as frozen in time, they are constantly growing and evolving even as they stay true to their faith, their families, and their community,” Oberholtzer writes in the book’s introduction. “Weddings are private affairs of great religious significance that are not open to outside visitors.”

Readers will discover the behind-the-scenes stories of brides, grooms, attendants, servers, and other key participants, learning how each role contributes to the wedding’s success. From simple menus and cherished recipes to the joyful bustle of conversation, singing, and service, Oberholtzer brings the beauty of Amish weddings to life. “The route to marriage does not begin with the dramatic presentation of a ring answered by exclamations of delight,” Oberholtzer notes. “It begins with a life cocooned by family, in a place of belonging where parents, friends, relatives, and siblings show the way.”

Source: Herald Press news release