As the bride and groom enter the reception hall, they are welcomed by their parents with the traditional gifts of bread and salt and water. (The bread symbolizes life, salt bitter moments and the water or wine to wash everything down).

Mine as well. It had to be simple. Mine was two slices of Lithuanian rye bread on the platter, then sprinkled with salt. You each to a bite of your salted bread then drank the water.

Salt black bread and krupnikas

The plant to Liths is a symbol of purity, ironically. has important usage at wedding, woven into wreath placed beneath to of veil on head. at reception, removed, then placed at the top o fthe grooms cake, the sakotis (horned)cake ,ceremoniously given to groom.

My mother and mother-in-law both greeted us at the reception with Mom holding a tray holding salted rye bread and whiskey. Spray of ruta on the tray but also a wreath of Ruta under my veil and more in my bouquet of white roses.