The Black Sea: Wedding Party

Ok well this is a long time coming, but this is my final Blog on my first trip to the land of the Tsars. It is certainly an exciting and amazing place to visit and I enjoyed the two weeks I spent there. Next May/June I hope to go back and explore St. Petersburg and I still need to visit RG’s hometown of Tagenrog. As I have mentioned the areas around the black sea are quite different than that of Moscow, and the people in the town we stayed were also quite ethically different, most of Armenian descent. My new family was very warm, accepting, gracious, and generous to me in earnest. I enjoyed talking to everyone down there and they were are very curious about the United States, and I was a bit of celebrity. RG told me this was because no one had met someone from so far away. I believe it is because they couldn’t believe someone would chose to put up with RG for the rest of their life (I kid, I kid). On the most beautiful day of our trip, the weather was clear, sunny, and warm my new parents threw us a wedding party. It was very similar to what would typically be a wedding reception for the area and I can tell you one thing I learned about Armenians, they certainly know how and like to party.

The celebration was amazing, and quite different than anything I have been through before. RG’s parents spent several days preparing for the event. They had arranged for a large feast, rented out a reception hall, and hired a singer/DJ/MC for the event. The feast was quite amazing. We had fried pork steaks, various sausages, and incredible imported beef specially cooked by the in-laws for meats. We had cheeses, breads, potatoes, vegetables, and salad for sides. To drink we had vodka, wine, juice, Pepsi, and more vodka. They also provided us with a large wedding cake that was much different than an American cake. For one thing it was not just white, it was white, gold, brown, and instead of having a plastic bride and groom it was decorated with a type of cookie and flowers. The frosting was also much lighter than and not nearly as sweet as the frosting used in the states. It was quite good.

The one shocking item on the table though was another meat that I did not mention above, a delicacy that everyone loved having, and loved goading me into eating; cow tongue, yes cow tongue. It was weird seeing the un-process foot and half long cow tongues on the counter at the house the night before, so it was a little nerve racking to try, but I have to admit it was pretty darn good though I probably won’t ask for it at meal when I order.

There were many people who came to the party, mostly RG’s dad’s family and friends as we were staying in his old home town. The godparents were there, aunts, uncles, cousins, the dad’s best friend from grade and secondary school, and of course the other close in-laws. I had an absolute fabulous time. Though I had to watch myself because everyone kept toasting us and I was concerned I might end up having one too many shoots of vodka. But there was so much food, so much activity, and it last for several hours I was able to hold my own; though I am sure I was showing signs of my typical post drinking conditions by the end of the night. I am also sure that there is video of me acting a bit crazy both because there was a videographer and everyone had camera phones and digital cameras that capture video. But luckily none of it ended up on youtube.

The music that they played all night was mostly regional and/or ethnic Armenian. It is very different from most music I am used to. Mostly strings and horns, very fast in tempo, and while I have no clue what was being sang about it seemed happy, up-beat, and festive. Everyone danced quite a lot that night. Everyone that is, except my bride and her sister. I had no problem jumping into the circle and dancing a little. Though I have no clue what I was doing. RG’s uncle and aunt (RG’s dad’s siblings) certainly liked to cut-a-rug, and so did a couple of her dad’s old school friends. I had fun and had to wonder what it would have been like if we could incorporate all of these people and some of their music into our wedding party in the states. It would certainly be entertaining to see RG’s family and friends from the black sea and my family and friends co-mingling and partying. Especially fun to watch would be the interactions when everyone would try to talk to each other.

As it was I had a lot of fun, I think the whole family had a lot of fun. Even my bride who would only come out on the dance floor for the slow songs!