Armenian Wedding (Irani), Glendale, CA, 1991

Hasmik dances beneath a box, containing the bridal apparel she will wear. Her dress and veil are already hung up so as not to be crushed. In the box is her petticoat and underwear, all of it purchased by the bridegroom's family and brought to her home.

Katrina Thomas's notes: The largest concentration of Armenians in the U.S. is in Glendale, CA, most having emigrated from Iran. Both the bride and groom of the two weddings I photographed were born in Iran, but keep the customs of old Armenia. A unique marriage ceremony, shora-orhnank, is blessing the bride's wedding dress which has been purchased by the bridegroom and is brought to her home for sanctification by a priest. Afterwards, if a betrothal ceremony has not been performed already, the priest may follow the blessing of the dress with a rite of espousal. The custom of the groom providing his bride's dress has been abandoned today.