Pictures from the Summer Shotgun Wedding

In July, my friends Serioga and Mariana had themselves a shotgun wedding. The wedding, pulled together in under a month, was a two day affair. The first day was the official ceremony and big reception with some 100 people. The second day was the church ceremony and a smaller reception at Mariana's house with just close friends and family.

(For a full account -- or just a refresher -- of the wedding and its customs, see the post titled Hot Days of Summer.)

Pictures Featured Here:

1. Serioga and Mariana (signing up for the ball and chain) inside the city building.

2. Family and friends outside the building after the deed is done.

3. Me, Sash and Alona with the bride and groom at the reception hall.

4. The best man drinking a shot of vodka out of the bride's "stolen" shoe.

5. Mariana customarily kissing bread held by her mother-in-law.

6. Traditional Ukrainian wedding bread.

7. Mariana, now a woman, holds her veil on the heads of all the single gals as they dance. Does this single gal look familiar to anyone?

8. Roma and the maid of honor crossed dressed and acting like an old married couple on the second day of the wedding.

9. All the friends gathered around the "old married couple." Please take a moment to look closely at "his" crotch.

10. The boys hoisting Mariana and Serioga up in the air on a bench. They hoisted until Serioga "paid ransom" (in this case a bottle of vodka...no real surprise there).