Asya Zlatina and Sam Nemirovsky
CLASSIC PHOTO AND VIDEO
Registry Continued from Page 25
Zlatina, who is 31, and her husband have each been living
by themselves for quite some time. They are fully functioning
adults, with jobs and responsibilities and bills to pay. They
also have appliances and furniture and enough stuff to fill two
living spaces — enough stuff to make a traditional registry
unnecessary. “We’re not 18. We’re not 20. We’ve been living on our own. I’ve
been living on my own for at least the last 10 years. I already have
a lot of things,” Zlatina said. “He’s also a mature male adult. He also
has beautiful things, he has his own house. Practically speaking, a
lot of household items we don’t need.

“And aside from that, think about how annoying it is for guests
to have to schlep gifts.”
Zlatina got the idea from her cousin, who got married about
three years ago, then vacationed with her husband in Argentina
and Chile thanks in part to their honeymoon fund. She suggested
the idea to Nemirovsky, citing the convenience for guests.

“I’m pretty open minded. I probably erred for a couple
moments, then said it was a novel idea,” Nemirovsky said.

The couple set up an online link asking for donations to their
honeymoon fund. Nemirovsky harbored some nerves, hoping
people wouldn’t think they needed to donate and bring a gift.

That didn’t happen.

“I was a little pleasantly surprised with how it worked,”
Nemirovsky said.

Zlatina is a professional dancer, but also works on the side for
26 OCTOBER 25, 2018
Chevra, a group that organizes social and educational events for
Jewish professionals and graduate students. Part of her job respon-
sibilities include reaching out to people to attend the events and,
one day several years ago, she called a stranger named Sam.

Nemirovsky started attending Chevra events and developed
a friendship with Zlatina. Soon they were dating, and this past
summer they got married at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront,
overlooking the picturesque Inner Harbor.

“The wedding was probably the most fun day of my life,”
Zlatina said.

The ceremony preceded the High Holidays, so the couple was
too busy to think much about their honeymoon. Zlatina then
immediately left for Europe with her dance team.

She frequently travels across the world for work, so she suggest-
ed they don’t go too far for their honeymoon. Nemirovsky nixed a
trip to Miami, citing his desire to check out Iceland. They compro-
mised and agreed on the Caribbean.

Zlatina and Nemirovsky said friends and family compliment-
ed them on the idea to start a honeymoon fund. They haven’t yet
heard from others interested in doing the same thing, but neither
said they’d be surprised to see some of their more mature peers
follow the same path.

And they’re enjoying married life.

“It’s wonderful. It’s so fun and so nice to grow and learn about
one human being and share with them your world,” Zlatina said. “I
learn a lot from him. He pushed me to be a better person and not
to be afraid of change or growth or trying new things.” ❤
jneedelman@jewishexponent.com; 215-832-0737
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