WEDDING DAY: Nick and Mary Stadnyk

on October 14, 1931, Mary Leschyshyn married Nick Stadnyk

                According to Mary’s sister, Florence, Mary designed her dress which was pleated with each pleat cut in a triangle.  Florence thought Mary was very creative in doing this but the unusual, uneven hemline surprised many of the ladies at the wedding.

            The lady who made Mary’s stylish, calf-length dress charged $5.00 which she accepted in the form of labour – Mary’s father plastered the lady’s house for her as the lady was pregnant and couldn’t do it herself.  (If she had been paid in cash, she would have charged less.)  The material for Mary’s dress cost $4.00 and the basic pattern was probably 50cents.  Brides at that time did not carry a bouquet.  Instead, Mary wore a wreath in her hair.

                 First, there was the regular church service that always took three hours.  Afterwards, the priest performed the wedding service which took an additional hour.

                The groom then escorted the bride to the bride’s house for the dinner.  The bride’s mother, Anna, led them to the table.

                A prayer was given.  Mary said, “The prayer could be given by the priest or the cantor or the godfather.  Godfathers were very important those days.”

                The man who was asked to serve as toastmaster begged the guests to have a good meal and enjoy themselves.  He worked so hard that Mary got a headache from all the clapping and stomping!

The groom’s place was set with a knife, fork, and spoon, but the bride had no eating utensils.  The groom was expected to feed the bride for a while.  Then she was given utensils of her own.

                All the tables were laden with bowls of food.  The first course, as expected and essential, was kicto, fine noodles in golden chicken broth. 

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MARY STADNYK’S KICTO

6 eggs

1 cup warm water

6 cups flour

1.  Measure flour into a large bowl.
2. Beat the eggs in another bowl and add the water.
3. Add egg mixture to the flour and make a stiff dough.  Knead well.
4. Let dough rest for ½ hour.
5. Divide dough into small pieces.
6. Roll out these pieces until you have very thin sheets.

Mary Stadnyk’s granddaughter Lisa

7. Put a table cloth on the table.  Spread sheets of dough out on this cloth and let dry for a while but not until brittle.
8.  Cut in 2 ½ inch wide strips and pile 4 or 5 on top of each other.  Cut these into thin noodles.  If dough is sticky, put a little flour between each strip.