Dominican Wedding, New York, NY, 1990

While guests dance the merengue, the bridegroom playing a guira joins the band. This instrument sounds like a maraca but is a sheet of metal, which has been perforated with a nail and shaped into a cylinder. Rafael plays it with a gancho, a scraper.

Katrina Thomas's notes: Dominicans, emigrating to New York City from the Caribbean since the early 1960's, are now one of the largest Hispanic groups in the U.S. Most are Roman Catholic. During the nuptial rite the bridegroom gives his bride la monneta, or coins of love. Distinctive music is played at their receptions which, like those of other Hispanics, begin with formal pageantry, treating the bride and groom as royalty and the wedding party as a Court of Honor. I photographed two weddings and note that at one reception, each usher on entering, kisses the gloved hand of a bridesmaid.