http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/27/fashion/weddings/planning-a-wedding-while-still-looking-for-a-groom-field-notes.html?ref=women&_r=0
This article focuses on Katie Owens, a lady who is from New York who has been planning her wedding for more than a decade. She began planning her wedding about a decade ago with no boyfriend at the time. She said she felt the pressure of having a perfect wedding because at the time all of her friends were getting married and planning these extravagant weddings. I can see how Katie felt rushed when it came to planning her own, dream wedding. We are constantly bombarded with the idea that things should be a certain way. That we should be married at a young age, with kids on the way. “When you watch a lot of commercials on television, all of a sudden you want that product, and you don’t know why you want that product, but it’s because you’ve seen that commercial 10 times,” Ms. Whitney said. “It’s the same with weddings. It’s just the way our brain works. We’re just programmed to want what we see and what’s around us.”
Pinterest, is a site where users can create virtual bulletin boards. Wedding themed boards are featured on the site that include wedding ideas, wedding/bridesmaids dresses, and cute ideas for wedding pictures. Being a female myself, I can see how the pressures of keeping up with societies certain image of a “perfect wedding” can be difficult. Women are expected to plan the majority of the wedding because so many details come along with such an extravagant event. But what if one couple just wants to sign a marriage license or elope? If I were to do one of these options I feel as if I would be looked down upon more than my husband. The idea that woman are planning the wedding before they find their spouse basically reinforces the notion that weddings are planned by women, for women and men are basically the bystanders. Marriage is in fact, a social union or legal contract between spouses. I find it interesting that women feel so pressured to plan something with no guarantee that they will find a spouse to share their special day with.
Aja Olsen
Originally posted: January 27, 2013
Weddings are an interesting phenomenon. Some women say that they have been planning them for their whole life. I believe that part of that reason is the belief that a wedding is the closest to a fairy tale that we (as women) will ever get. It is the closest we get to getting that Prince Charming and ruling the day. Again, this goes back to our gender roles where we must find someone to take care of us and carry us off into the sunset. On top of that, wedding planning (for the most part) is done by women specifically. Where are the men in this equation? It is their party too and often I have heard male fiancees say "it's a woman's thing." Woman my foot, this is for the man too and he needs to help out. Let's shatter those gender roles and get the man to do a little footwork too. Seriously though, bridezillas are an extension of gender roles and the age old fairy tale. It's time we calm down and enjoy our weddings for what they are, a ceremony of love and respect.
ReplyDelete-Rachael Belcher