Moldovan newlyweds; Chisinau, Moldova
Smile and say … jeeeeez, it’s cold!
Every part of the world has its own unique customs. In Eastern Europe, it’s traditional for newlyweds to have their post-wedding photos taken in front of a statue of special significance.
In this case, a Moldovan couple is posing on a cold January day in Chisinau under the watchful gaze of Stefan cel Mare (Stephen the Great), Moldova’s national hero. The history is a bit complicated but basically, if it weren’t for Stefan, what was then known as Moldavia would likely have been swallowed up by the Ottoman Empire in the late 15th century.
My apartment was a short walk from this statue and on weekends – even on bitterly cold days like this — I would venture out to watch the steady stream of newlyweds have their pictures taken. They would arrive directly from the church in limos, pop out for a quick photo, and then drive off to meet family and friends at a reception. On some days, there were so many weddings, it was like watching an assembly line.
I hope the bride and groom didn’t mind that I snapped their picture while their own photographer was setting up. I imagine they were much more concerned about getting out of the cold and beginning their new life together.
Copyright © Dan Fellner 2012
