<P> The marriage ceremony itself may take several hours, followed by a community reception that includes a banquet, singing, and storytelling . Newlyweds spend the wedding night at the home of the bride's parents . </P> <P> Celery is one of the symbolic foods served at Amish weddings . Celery is also placed in vases and used to decorate the house instead of flowers . Rather than immediately taking up housekeeping, the newlywed couple will spend several weekends visiting the homes of friends and relatives who attended the wedding . </P> <P> When the Amish choose to retire is neither a set nor fixed time . Considerations of the person's health, the family's needs, and personal desires all play an important part in determining when retirement may occur, usually between the ages of fifty and seventy . The elderly do not go to a retirement facility; they remain at home . If the family house is large enough they continue living with everyone else . Often there is an adjacent dwelling, called the Grossdaadi Haus, where grandparents take up residence . Retired people continue to help with work on the farm and within the home, working at their own pace as they are able . This allows them independence but does not strip them of family involvement . </P> <P> The Amish method of retirement ensures that the elderly maintain contact with family and relatives . Loneliness is not a problem because they keep meaningful social contacts through various community events, such as frolics, auctions, weddings, holiday, and other community activities . </P>

How many wives can an amish man have