Historian traces rise of a cultural phenomenon--White Weddings (white dress, white cake, etc.)
Fancy white gowns and multitiered cakes. Shiny gold rings and 400 guests. Exactly when did the fantasy of a classic "white wedding" take root? In the new book "It's Our Day: America's Love Affair with the White Wedding" (University Press of Kansas, $29.95), historian Katherine Jellison traces the elaborate and formal ritual to the rise of consumer culture after World War II.
It was driven by "superstar brides," including Grace Kelly, Tricia Nixon, Diana Spencer and Carolyn Bessette.
While few could afford their extravagance, the princess brides pointed the way to a particular style of designer gown or a certain brand of expensive champagne that, taken alone, might well be affordable, writes Jellison, an associate professor of history at Ohio University.
She attributes the endurance of white weddings through decades of cultural tumult -- including the rise of feminism and divorce rates -- to their adaptability; a white gown, no longer a symbol of virginity, was favored just the same as a way for the perfect bride to have her perfect day.
Q: Why are we in love with lavish white weddings?
A: I think it's an escape from the routine of everyday life. It gives us a valid excuse to wear fancy clothes, eat fattening food, spend too much and perhaps drink too much without any guilt. After all, who can begrudge launching a loving, hopefully lifelong relationship with a pull-out-all-the-stops celebration?
Q: Is there any disconnect between the white wedding and the realities of marriage?
A: Even if a woman can orchestrate a "perfect" wedding day, she will not have a perfect marriage. Such things do not exist. Illness, arguments, financial strain are all but inevitable.
Read entire article at AP
It was driven by "superstar brides," including Grace Kelly, Tricia Nixon, Diana Spencer and Carolyn Bessette.
While few could afford their extravagance, the princess brides pointed the way to a particular style of designer gown or a certain brand of expensive champagne that, taken alone, might well be affordable, writes Jellison, an associate professor of history at Ohio University.
She attributes the endurance of white weddings through decades of cultural tumult -- including the rise of feminism and divorce rates -- to their adaptability; a white gown, no longer a symbol of virginity, was favored just the same as a way for the perfect bride to have her perfect day.
Q: Why are we in love with lavish white weddings?
A: I think it's an escape from the routine of everyday life. It gives us a valid excuse to wear fancy clothes, eat fattening food, spend too much and perhaps drink too much without any guilt. After all, who can begrudge launching a loving, hopefully lifelong relationship with a pull-out-all-the-stops celebration?
Q: Is there any disconnect between the white wedding and the realities of marriage?
A: Even if a woman can orchestrate a "perfect" wedding day, she will not have a perfect marriage. Such things do not exist. Illness, arguments, financial strain are all but inevitable.