Weddings

Weddings are one of the most important cultural rituals, reinforcing conventional cultural values and the social structure. Weddings recognize a legal relationship marked by a ceremonial rite of passage. Leslie Baxter and Dawn O. Braithwaite explain that weddings are rituals because they are voluntary, patterned communication events guided by cultural norms that pay homage to something considered sacred, and that produce and reproduce identity of the couple and family. Weddings are patterned in the sense that most ceremonies follow models or a broad script. Weddings are guided by cultural norms, meaning culture influences expectations for the ritual and the couples marriage to follow. That weddings pay homage to something sacred means that weddings honor something, for example, the relationship, family, religion, or marriage as a social institution. Weddings involve identity of the individuals and the newly married couple. Weddings are not something a couple can do alone—they are inherently social. Most often weddings occur in the context of social interaction within the web of relationships (e.g., family, friends, church, community) surrounding a couple. However, even if a couple has a wedding in which the couples social network members do not participate, others, for example, a justice of the peace and witnesses, still need to be involved. This entry discusses weddings past and present, functions of weddings, and the topics of weddings and consumerism, gender, culture, heteronormativity, and remarriage.

Although U.S. weddings take various forms, some specific practices are present in nearly every wedding: an engagement period, setting a date to be married, a ceremony including the exchange of vows, a member of the clergy or legal system officiating, and a reception celebrating the couple following the ceremony. Whether small and informal or large and formal, U.S. weddings are laden with cultural artifacts including special clothing for the bride, groom, and members of the wedding party; flowers; photography; and a ring for one or both partners. Weddings involve at least two witnesses who are required to sign a legal document, but often involve several hundred family, friends, and community members. Although there [Page 1686]are considerable differences in weddings, they share a common core—what scholars call canonical stories. Canonical stories are narratives familiar to members of a culture that prescribe behaviors and the boundaries of acceptable practices. Thus, although weddings take many different forms, most of us could step into a strangers wedding ritual and recognize a wedding is taking place. The consistency of the wedding ritual speaks to the social construction of weddings.