Book Chronicles Love Affair With White Wedding

Author Katherine Jellison has recently penned “It’s Our Day: America’s Love Affair With The White Wedding.” In the book, Jellison examines the modern American wedding from 1945 to 2005. According to Jellison, a professor of history at Ohio University, an elaborate wedding is a relative newcomer to the scene.

Most couples and their families did not have enough disposable income prior to World War II to have an elaborate wedding ceremony and reception. According to Jellison, the wedding has become a status symbol and couples who have grown up with the notion that weddings need to be extravagant may have a difficult time letting go of the iconic wedding ceremony.

Jellison says that some trends, like ecologically friendly weddings and a growing desire to be financially responsible, may help couples trim their appetites for expensive formal weddings.

The drive toward lavish weddings isn’t limited to the United States. Europeans, Australians, Middle Eastern and Indian families are all feeling the pinch of extravagance when it comes to “traditional” weddings. In some cultures, wedding celebrations last for several days, a territory that only a few celebrity weddings in the West are beginning to approach.

Jellison doesn’t give any advice to brides-to-be, but she does indicate that couples are now embracing ideas like “giveback” weddings, where guests are encouraged to donate to charities, rather than splurge on expensive gifts. Another observation: some couples are deliberately steering away from expensive events to avoid giving into what they view as consumerism in the wedding industry.

Keywords: Wedding News, Weddingblog, Wedding

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