This wedding Rushnik is the first family treasure of my daughter's young family which will keep the memory of the wedding day for years going forward. It's also because this towel, called a Rushnik, was embroidered by my friend Natalia Gerasimova, especially for my daughter's wedding ceremony. I brought it from Russia to New York. It is a handmade, cross-stitched towel made of linen canvas, lace,20 x 100 inches.  Natalia spent several weeks doing painstaking work by embroidering hundreds of stitches. She knew that here, in America, the wedding day of my daughter would be cozier and warmer with elements of Slavic traditions. I really appreciate what Natalia has done for us. This Rushnik, created by the hands of a real master, warms my heart, reminding me of Russia and my friends in there who love me.  Today the tradition of using Rushnik during the wedding is still popular in Russia. Parents present a special wedding bread (Karavay) with salt on it. In the traditional embroidery of the Eastern Slavs, wedding Rushniks depict rings, pairs of birds with their heads turned towards each other, which symbolizes the bride and groom and the formation of a new family. The Rushnik is a guard against evil forces and wishes the young family prosperity, health, wealth and the birth of children. The red color is the color of the sun, heat and beauty. The long bleached-white Rushnik symbolizes the road. The center of the Rushnik must always remain empty. This is so-called "God's place". Roses, symbol of beauty and love, are embroidered for the bride. Thank you, Natalia!

– Anzhelika Bogoslovskaya

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