My parents married after dating for about three years, when my mother was pregnant with me for about three months. It was autumn.
My mom's dress, especially the silvery roses, was made during a big outdoor neighborhood party in the center of Donetsk, where she grew up.
Their rings were maid out of gold, the one of my mother was much wider, according to the tradition.
They received some nice gifts made out of silver, I remember the gorgeous set of tea spoons the most. There was also a beautiful desk fountain pen, and a Georgian drinking horns with metal details, and Bohemian Czech crystal glasses, and also incrustated knives. Consider, that my student-to-be-parents owned almost nothing.
The family members from both sides gathered reluctantly, because each family held the marriage for a mistake and were suspicious of the other side.
My father was considered to be too poor and arrogant by my mother's family, and my mother was perceived as a unsubstantial big-city girl unworthy of my father's brains and his bright future.
The official celebration was for 30-35 people, family and friends. The picture on the right is a detail of a large photograph depicting the crowd standing outside of the public family records institution in Donetsk.
My parents went to Prague for their honeymoon, likely because my mom appreciated their dancing culture. The brought a book about the cities architecture, which I loved my whole life.
It is hard to me to look at these pictures, because I know how these people treated each other during their separation and divorce 17 years later.
On the photograph below left, with my mother in a wedding dress and with white Antonov chrysanthemums, you can see the face of my father's best friend in youth, whom I never met. He grew up in orphanage and was mentioned by my parents sometimes, yet he never visited. I have seen a one greeting card from him.
And I have no idea, who is the boy, standing behind her on the picture where my father puts the ring on her finger. It should be my cousin, the couple behind are my maternal aunt with her husband, but I do not recognize him.
