Russian Wedding, New York, NY, 1974

Splendid gold crowns, owned by the church, are held by groomsmen over the heads of Alexandra and John during the nuptial rite, signifying the newly wed as king and queen of their household. Toward the end of the ceremony, officiated by two priests, John kisses the crown.

Katrina Thomas's notes: Although the earliest Russians settled Alaska, several waves of immigrants, starting in1917, fled the Soviet regime, the most recent being Russian Jews. However, the majority in the U.S. belong to the Russian Orthodox Church, which played an important role in developing Russia's national identity, and these are the nuptials I photograph. During the nuptial rite, the couple marrying stands under heavy gold crowns while the groomsmen behind them take turns holding their weight over the heads of the bride and groom.