Winter wedding
The remote mountain village of Ribnovo in southwest Bulgaria has kept its traditional winter marriage ceremony alive despite decades of Communist persecution, followed by poverty that forced many men to seek work abroad.
The wedding ritual was resurrected with vigour among the Pomaks - Slavs who converted to Islam under Ottoman rule. The highlight of the ceremony is the painting of the bride's face, where in a private rite open only to female in-laws, her face is covered in thick, chalky white paint and decorated with colourful sequins.
Clad in baggy pants and bodice shimmering in all the colors of the rainbow, Fikrie Bindzheva is presented by her future husband Azim Liumankov in front of their house during their wedding ceremony.
A general view shows the village of Ribnovo in the Rhodope Mountains.
Guests arrive for the wedding ceremony of Bulgarian Muslims Azim Liumankov and his bride Fikrie Bindzheva (not pictured) in the village of Ribnovo in the Rhodope Mountains.
A woman looks at the dowry during the wedding ceremony of Fikrie Bindzheva and Azim Liumankov.
Bulgarian Muslim women look at the dowry during the wedding ceremony of Bulgarian Muslims Fikrie Bindzheva and Azim Liumankov in the village of Ribnovo in the Rhodope Mountains.
Children watch the wedding ceremony of Bulgarian Muslims Fikrie Bindzheva and Azim Liumankov in the village of Ribnovo in the Rhodope Mountains.
Bulgarian Muslim youths carry the dowry during the wedding ceremony of Bulgarian Muslims Fikrie Bindzheva and Azim Liumankov in the village of Ribnovo in the Rhodope Mountains.
Musicians play instruments as guests dance during the wedding ceremony of Bulgarian Muslims Fikrie Bindzheva and Azim Liumankov in the village of Ribnovo in the Rhodope Mountains.
Women dance during the wedding ceremony of Bulgarian Muslims Fikrie Bindzheva and Azim Liumankov in the village of Ribnovo in the Rhodope Mountains.
Bulgarian Muslims bride Fikrie Bindzheva dances next to her groom Azim Liumankov during their wedding ceremony in the village of Ribnovo in the Rhodope Mountains.
Musicians play a traditional "zouria" instrument during the wedding ceremony of Bulgarian Muslims Fikrie Bindzheva and Azim Liumankov in the village of Ribnovo in the Rhodope Mountains.
Bulgarian Muslims bride Fikrie Bindzheva (L) dances next to her groom Azim Liumankov during their wedding ceremony in the village of Ribnovo in the Rhodope Mountains.
Bulgarian Muslims Azim Liumankov and his bride Fikrie Bindzheva pose in front of their house during their wedding ceremony in the village of Ribnovo in the Rhodope Mountains.
