They're ready for the toast.

Suburban Chicago, June 3, 1989. Mr. Irene's Parents and my Mom stand by with the plate of bread, wine, and salt.

Unfocused Favorites, in Three Takes

A professional photographer captured these candid shots as my Parents walked from their marriage ceremony to the wedding reception.

I love these images. Although they are out of focus and worn, they catch the day's sparks.

Schweinfurt, Germany, May 1948. My Parents make their way from the "church"—a converted barn—in which they just were married to the reception hall. Their witnesses and wedding party follow them.

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Schweinfurt, Germany, May 1948. As my Parents, on the far right, walk to the reception, other Displaced Persons greet them with flowers and good wishes.

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Schweinfurt, Germany, May 1948. My maternal Grandfather, Jake, and my paternal Grandmother, Tatjana, greet my Parents at the reception's entryway with the traditional plate of wine, bread, and salt. Now, the party will get under way.

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.

Wedding Toast

Schweinfurt, Germany, May 1948. Here's another unfocused image from my Parents' wedding day. In this snapshot, my maternal Grandfather, Jake, and my paternal Grandmother, Tatjana, greet the newlyweds with the toast of wine, bread, and salt.

Related by Marriage: Wedding Toast

Marquette Park, Chicago, Illinois, June 27, 1959. Mr. Irene's maternal Aunt, Martha, accepts the toast of wine, bread, and salt in celebration of her marriage to Wally.