Related by Marriage: Country Wedding

Stacey, the youngest brother of Mr. Irene's Dad, stayed behind in Lithuania after the Soviet Union occupied the country. While Mr. Irene's Dad and his eldest brother, Ignas, adapted to life in the United States, Stacey remained in the countryside and managed the old farm.

Stacey married and raised a family in the same house in which Mr. Irene's Dad and Ignas had grown up.

Near Panevėžys, Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic, July 1959. Mr. Irene's paternal Grandmother, Veronica, sits with Stacey's bride, Stacey, and an aunt. The ceremony took place about six months after the wedding of Mr. Irene's Parents.

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Near Panevėžys, Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic, July 1959. The wedding party surrounds the newlyweds. The women wear Lithuanian folkdresses.

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Near Panevėžys, Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic, July 1959. Family members gather for a photo in front of the farmhouse.

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Near Panevėžys, Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic, July 1959. Parents of the newlyweds greet the couple with wine, bread, and salt as the couple enters the reception. The three items symbolize joy, work, and tears. A similar custom arises in Polish weddings.