From PRX.

From PRX is Radiotopia. This is Radio Diaries. I'm Joe Richmond.

Now by virtue of the authority vested in me as a rabbi in Israel under the laws of the state of California.

For I pronounce you, Edward and Ruth, to be husband and wife before God and man.

Ruth and Eddie Elkine. announce you, Edward and Ruth, to be husband and wife before God and man.

Ruth and Eddie Elcott got married on September 3rd, 1943, a year after they had met at a USO dance in Chicago. In order to get married, Ruth took the train from Chicago all the way to

California, where Eddie was getting ready to leave to go fight in World War II. None of their relatives were able to attend the wedding, so they made a record and mailed it back to their family in Chicago. Say hello to Mama now while I was about it. How did you go, Mama is it doing, Ethel? We're now man and wife, as you know. That's what you speak. Oh, I can't say anything.

I'm just happy.

That's all.

This was a moment in history when many people were recording themselves for the first time.

With advances in audio technology, a trend started in the 1930s.

People began sending records of their voices to each other through the Postal Service.

It was the 1930s version of voicemail.

Down here at Salt Lake City, and I come in this booth down here to make a recording.

Hello, everybody. We're speaking to you from Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Hello, Uncle Bob, Aunt May, and Ann.

This is Betty.

I don't know what to say. I'm so nervous.

Audio letters were generally flat, lightweight records, made in small booths all over the world.

It places like amusement parks, bus and train stops, army bases, and post offices.

You would put in a quarter or 50 cents.

You would speak for about a minute.

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