/ Farm Brides
B
Because Jaylene and John are both from farm families
and will continue with agricultural careers, they wanted
their wedding to reflect their love for farm life.
Wedding With
A Country Flair
LOU ANN GOOD
Lancaster Farmiffg Staff
BELLEVILLE (Mifflin Co.)
May 28 started out like any other
day on the farm for Jaylene Yoder.
About 3 a.m., she went to the bam
and pulled a calf.
But at 11 a.m., she was dressed
in her satiny best and stood before
the church altar to exchange vows
with John Hess, a farmer from
Gettysburg.
The couple had met at Penn
Slate, where both were pursuing
agriculture degrees. When plan
ning their wedding, it seem appro
priate to give it their own personal
stamp of individuality—their love
for country living. The setting,
attire, food, and entertainment
expressed the couple’s affinity for
country.
The groom, best man, and
ushers wore jeans and cowboy
bools with a bolo uc and tuxedo
jacket, which they shed at the
recepuon and donned cowboy
hats.
The bridesmaids wore floral
print dresses and flowers in their
hair. The matron of honor worn the
same style dress as the bridesmaids
but was distinquishable with a
straw hat decorated with
wildflowcrs.
“For the bridesmaids, I chose
An Amish neighbor allowed Jaylene Yoder and John
ness to borrow his white top buggy to drive down the farm
lane where the reception was held on the Yoder's farm.
dresses that could be worn for
other occasions because 1 have
seven expensive gowns from being
a bridesmaid in other weddings
that 1 will never wear again,” Jay
lene said.
The bride herself chose a stylish
white satin mermaid gown. She
did her hair in an upswept style and
wore a fashionable hat with an
detachable veil.
After the ceremony that was
held at Locust Grove Mennonite
Church, the bridal party climbed
into a manure spreader a new
one to go to the Yoders’ farm
for the reception. About one mile
from the farm, the couple switched
modes of transportation and
climbed into an Amish white lop
buggy for a carriage ride down the
farm lane.
A large tent was erected on the
farm to hold about 300 guests.
It’s not surprising that Jaylene, a
former Mifflin County dairy prin
cess, promoted the dairy industry
at her wedding. An ice cream
punch and a soup appetizer was
served. The bean soup was cooked
in a large cast iron kettle.
Ham, beef, and chicken was
made over an open pit barbecue.
Guests could help themselves to
the ice cream sundae bar. The wed
ding cake was decorated with las-
The bridal party left the church in a manure spreader a new one fortunately
A large tent was erected on the farm for eating and country dancing. The wedding
attire of the bridal party reflected the country theme with the guys wearing blue jeans,
bolo ties, cowboy hats and boots; the bridesmaids wore floral print dresses—chosen
for the versatilty of wearing them for other occasions.
sos, cowboy hais, and flowers.
Table centerpieces were wild
flowers, which the bride and her
family picked. Additional wild
flowers were purchased.
Preference was given to guests
who were dairy farmers.
The announcement was made;
“Farmers gel to eat first.”
This announcement stemmed
from the experience of knowing
how difficult it was to finish eating
in time for farmers to return home
to begin evening chores.
Following the meal, tables and
chairs were folded up and the bri
dal part led guests in country danc
ing on the wooden platform floor.
It did not lake long, for the
father of the bride, J. Loren Yoder,
to shed his suit for a T-shirt with
the message: Dairy farmers arc
uddcrly remarkable.
With balloons streaming behind
them, children ran through the
fields. Some guests relaxed on
rocking chairs on the porch or
JComestead
Jfotes
relaxed on swings underneath the
large trees.
The Yoders said that they incor
porated as much help as possible
from friends and family members.
A former exchange student from
Germany and his wife arrived a
day early to arrange a rope of fresh
pine and flowers to surround the
doorway and to arrange the
wildflowcrs.
Guests were from Norway, Ger
many, Canada, and numerous
slates.
Aflcra wedding trip to the Poco
nos, the couple will live on the
Hess family farm, where John will
help his parents-, John and Bonnie
Hess, farm about 1,200 acres and
milk 240 Holstcins. Jaylcnc is
employed as a scout technician for
Agway.
Jaylcne, the 1988-1989 Mifflin
County Dairy Princess, is the
daughter of J. Loren and Wanda
Yoder, who farm 125 acres in Bel
leville and milk 60 cows.
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, June 18, 1994-B3
The nice thing about hav*
ing a wedding on the farm is
the ability for the bride’s
father to dress in his favorite
attire blue jeans and a T
shirt with the message:
Dairy farmers are udderly
remarkable.