Occurrence of weddings is a common phenomenon in the society. Weddings are considered to be the adjoining factor between the parties that are involved in the marriage. In fact, a wedding serves as evidence of marriage in contemporary society. However, there have been significant changes in this industry. This is because of the manipulation of these weddings to become economic prospects. This is why the mention of weddings elicits images of some stereotypical rituals. Weddings are now characterized by flowers and ideas of long vacations. It is no longer about the romantic values to the society but all about material value. This is why there are differences in the weddings that involve the various social classes . To the poor, it is not much of a celebration because of the limitations in finances. However, to the rich, this is a prospect where a lot is spent and thus contribute a lot to the economic situations in the society. The author has the opinion that white weddings have shifted from the romantic view to the social well being perspective .
The rituals that occur in weddings have long gone unnoticed in the critical view of many people. The media enhances the ideology that weddings are necessary in the society. This is through the depiction of a romantic nature through images of weddings. The people also have a misled ideology that on marriage, the couple will have a lot of love. However, this is never the case and most of the couples do not even keep their wedding vows. The media also offers a lot of tips on how to maintain romance but fail to pay attention to traditions that are very valuable in a marriage. The media publicizes Hollywood weddings in an attempt to taunt the normal folk into marriages. It is no wonder then that most magazines target white people. This is because these women are viewed as the suitable customers due to their perceived romanticism.
Weddings are now institutions where the main focus is on the event itself and not the purpose itself. Ingraham describes this as a system where the people are forced to believe in the romantic nature of the event just so as to end up going through economic strife to achieve this. This is probably the principal reason that has made led many people to much obsession about the event. In fact, this day only serves as a display of power. This is shown through the ability to host a large event which is a clear sign of social class. In a hypothetical move, it is clear that no female is born with the notion of a wedding having so many flowers and other monetary values. It is also definite that no boy has an idea that there will come a time when they will have to sacrifice their own money for such a ceremony. This gives a conclusion that the reason why the culture spreads is because of the cultural values in the society.
The media has taken the notion of a perfect wedding to the limit. This is through the advertising of items that make the wedding day be classy. The media expresses images of successful weddings and supplies them to the society which is now more than ever, willing to undergo any expense to remain competitive . In fact, weddings are now just a show of social prowess. The magazines that involve themselves with fashion are now more intent to show bridal outfits. This is normally followed by long tips on how to make the day special. Basically, there is so much advertising on bridal matters than there is information regarding to maintenance of the marriage. In fact, these events are now more inclined to marketing than they are to issues concerning spirituality and morality.
There is a lot of focus on the garments that are used in these ceremonies. It is thus not a surprise that there has been a significant change in the trends of the designs. This is done with the intention of creating fetishism within the society. People will tend to look for a way to outdo each other in the social setting and, therefore, the idea of trendy garments gives them satisfaction. The manufacturers then take advantage of this prospect by advertising new trends. This is an obvious way to get the attention of customers and thus boost their sales in the process. If the wedding was all about the vows, then it would make no difference on the appearance of the people in the wedding. However, because the weddings are now commercial, the manufacturers brainwash people on the appropriate dressing. In most cases, the quest for this appropriateness comes with a heavy economic burden which boosts them while it degrades the consumers.
Religion has also had its own fair share of impact on the current situation of weddings. A wedding is supposed to be a seal on the sacred vows of marriage. This should be regardless of the social classes between those wedding as this is a religious activity. However, the administrators of religion in the society have been turning a blind eye to the situation. This is vivid from the unwillingness to advise the society on the real purpose of a wedding ceremony . Religion also seems to support the industrial version of the weddings through concurring to the system. An indication for this is the willingness of the religious leaders to participate in the ceremonies. This sends a message to the society that there is nothing wrong with the situation at the present. Religion should be on the frontline to advice on the purpose of a wedding ceremony. This ceremony should not serve the purpose of displaying material prowess to the others. The sole purpose of a wedding is to create evidence of an existing sacred bond.
White weddings have provided more negative effects than mere economic ones. Perhaps the most affected area is the cultural fabric of society. Instead of uniting the community, the event has divided the society along cultural lines. Ingraham goes on to describe how the wedding ceremonies offer divisions along lines of races. The white people are more inclined to these weddings than the other members of the society. Therefore, the wedding is a representation of the perceptions that each race can afford. The difference in social classes also comes under scrutiny in the wedding scenarios. Most people only plan a massive wedding to showcase their class. This is vivid in the white weddings where a lot of effort is made to create an unforgettable moment. It is through weddings that the ability to use materials in public is fully acceptable. Therefore, this focus on the importance of materials is a result of cultural degradation, which is a source of more vices.
There are points that can be picked from the white weddings that could be used to benefit the society. There are many investments that relate to the facilitating of the weddings. These include the garment makers who rely almost fully on this industry. It would be an economic loss if the weddings were simplistic in nature. The attempts at marketing also publicize weddings and thus improve sales of these products which are an economic boost. The labor and other processes that are involved in this process are a benefit to some as well as a source of income. The white weddings also offer an avenue where people connect socially. This is imperative for the development of culture in any society.
However, white weddings are detrimental to the growth of any society. This is because of the publicity that comes along with it. When celebrities marry, there is great publicity because of the beauty of the celebration. There have been trends where some people get children then marry later. An example of this is the wedding between Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes. This wedding had all the noteworthy celebrities of the society and the baby was also present. In the traditional concept the conception of the baby would have been illegitimate as it was out of wedlock. However, the media through these celebrities dispute this and in fact tend to support it in the society .
Work cited
Ingraham, Chrys. (2008). White Weddings: Romancing Heterosexuality in Popular
Culture. Taylor & Francis. London.
