Don Burke shares photos today from a special event in Jamesport, Missouri. This is the first of three parts.

Over the course of about four years and several trips to Jamesport, MO, I first become acquainted with and then made good friends with a special Amish family there.

During that same time the Amish community has been going through some changes.

A New Order Amish congregation developed, and some of the Amish have even migrated on to become Mennonites. Various ones within this family found themselves in various places along that transition.

In early 2017 I was a bit surprised – and very pleased – when one of the daughters in the family asked me if I would take pictures at her upcoming wedding.




As we talked about what the wedding would be like, she explained that they would be drawing elements from the various traditions – “a little Old Order Amish, a little New Order Amish, a little Mennonite, a little English…, and some things that are simply just what I want.”

And that is just how it turned out.

The morning of the wedding, the wedding party got together for a few pictures. The bride and groom.

The bride and her sisters who served as her bridesmaids.

The groom and his groomsmen.

The brother of the bride (with his fiancée) dutifully making sure that the food didn’t go to waste.

Visiting with friends and family, many from out of state.

Two sisters slipping off to get an early start on decorating the car.

At the community hall where the wedding was held, some ladies were already busy with preparing for the cake-and-ice-cream reception that would follow the wedding.

The wedding guests arriving. Wedding gifts were placed on a table on the right side of the picture.

The guests as they took their seats on traditional Amish church benches.

These guests, like other elements of the wedding, reflected many of the region’s varied religious traditions.

Stay tuned for Part 2 on the wedding ceremony (subscribe here to be notified by email).

For more of Don’s photos, check out his PlainSong Facebook page.

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