White Weddings: Romancing Heterosexuality in Popular Culture

by Chrys Ingraham

Peering behind the veil to question the meaning of weddings in American popular culture, Ingraham finds nothing less than a wedding industrial complex with annual revenues in excess of 30 billion dollars. 20 photos.

Genres: Sociology, Nonfiction, Feminism, Gender, Sexuality, Womens Studies, LGBT

288 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 12, 1999

Reviews

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Five stars for concept, four for research, two for execution. This is a first-of-its-kind critique of the wedding-industrial complex from the perspective of feminist sociology. Ingraham methodically examines the way the image of the "white wedding" is used as a gateway for power and privilege in US society, and the ways in which it excludes those that society keeps disempowered. Starting from popular culture and advertising to children, she traces the way that women in our society are conditioned to want the grand white wedding at any cost-- and the cost is usually high. She goes on to explore the ways in which the wedding-industrial complex itself is a tool of oppression for economically disadvantaged workers and those members of society who it excludes from participation. Through these lenses she exposes the way heterosexuality itself is organized in our culture, not as a naturally occurring form of sexual attraction, but as social institution in which participation is mandatory.

This book was eye-opening for me when I read it the first time; it makes many excellent points which I have incorporated into my understanding of culture. But I do disagree with some of the author's analysis of subjects and works of popular culture with which I am familiar (I'm not sure how anybody who's seen The Birdcage could conclude that its underlying message was the overriding importance of the straight wedding-- quite the opposite). My disagreement on these points does give me a bit of pause with respect to her analysis of subjects with which I'm less familiar. And the book is poorly formatted and redundant-- it reads like a paper meant for publication in a trade journal that has been expanded to book-length. It could hardly be considered an enjoyable read.

Still, I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in a different perspective on the subject of weddings, who is open to criticism of this important, and ultimately oppressive, social institution.

[Shannon Wyss · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent, if somewhat outdated, feminist analysis of the institution of heterosexual weddings. Ingraham does a great job breaking down how and why traditional weddings, as they are currently practiced in the US, are a sexist, racist, classist, and homophobic institution.

Published in 1999, the book is outdated today. While the gist of her argument remains sadly relevant in 2012, i would love to see what an updated book would look like, especially with the movement for marriage equality/marriage assimilationism that has burgeoned on the lesbian/gay/bisexual community in the last decade. How would Ingraham integrate that movement into her arguments?

If i can find an updated equivalent of this book, it will become a must-give to all newly-engaged couples whom i know so that they can make more intelligent, informed decisions about the kinds of wedding that they want to have.

[Molly Voorheis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do, I do! Ingraham's "White Weddings" is the academic's version of a "Say Yes to the Dress" marathon. The 15-year-old book's film and TV examples ("Ellen," "Suddenly Susan") feel dated, and the references to the role of gay men in media representations of weddings needs to be updated now that same-sex marriage is legal (always a bridal planner, never a bride!).

But the analysis of the NY Times wedding announcements is fun, and terms like "the spectacle of accumulation" and "heterosexual imaginary" are brain kale for your junk food pleasure in learning why bridal shops rip the tags off of wedding dresses.

Most first-year women studies majors can do this kind of work easily, but who can resist a good Barbie bridal critique?

[Marnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book is good but pretty obvious. wedding industrial complex = bad, bad for finances, bad for women, bad for men, reinforces heteronormativity, with lots of statistics and hilariously upsetting anecdotes to back it up. i get it. plus, the text was often printed over greyed out pictures of ladies in wedding dresses which made it hard to read. all i got out of it is that i was normal to not be interested in planning a future wedding when i was 6...or even now.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting study on our cultural obsession with weddings, particularly "white weddings" that Ingraham claims fuel capitalistic pursuits while marginalizing all who aren't white and wealthy, this was a reasonably quick and thought-provoking read. While I am always up for arguments based in critique of consumer culture, capitalism and/or materialism, I still can't help but feel that there is something magical about weddings that doesn't need to be demonized...

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Convinced me not to.

One of the best parts of the book is the list of Hollywood movies containing the words "bride" or "wedding" in the title. In the past century, there's been at least 200. Also, her breakdown in the cost of the average wedding and the revenue raked in by what she calls The Wedding Industrial Complex. Really fascinating stuff.

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this in college in my Sociology of the Family class. It really made me think twice about getting married, at least in the traditional sense. This book explores our cultures obsession with weddings and studies how the wedding industry plays a role in capitalism, the myth of white supremacy, and the fairy-tale romance being manufactured and sold to us by Disney. A great read!!!

[Kitty · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book gives an insight on how did wedding become so extravagant, and why we "Girls" perceived wedding as the "dream comes true."

Although the structure of this book is like a text-book more than a novel. But, it is intriguing how and why did we, women suck into this multi-billion dollars industry.

[Leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

The information is good, but the formatting/book design is terrible. Difficult to read/hold.

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is great for those of us who view wedding traditions with a critical eye and understand the various privleges that exists in this rite of passage.

[Jo]

Really loved this analysis of the wedding in contemporary culture.

[Kels]

Gender and Society

[Marijah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Needs a new edition that reflects today's reality of homosexual "white weddings" taking place alongside the heterosexual ones.