In this fascinating study, Boden considers the changing social and cultural significance of the wedding in Britain. The book focuses upon a number of issues including the commercialization of the event, the dynamics of heterosexual partnerships, and the influence of romance. The new commercial wedding is further explored in relation to broader socio-structural transformations and the modernization of marriage law. This book draws upon the experiences of marrying couples as well as media evidence.

Autorentext

SHARON BODEN teaches in the Department of Sociology at the University of Warwick. Her research interests lie in the sociology of consumption, and centre on the commercialization of the lifecourse and the ethical consumer movement.

Zusammenfassung
Weddings are big news and big business. They were changed forever by the 1994 Marriage Act which licenced approved premises for civil ceremonies in England and Wales - an act which was both a symptom and a source of wider underlying changes in society and in intimate relationships. Given its ubiquity and social importance though, the wedding remains relatively unexplored by academics. This book is a new study which considers the changing social and cultural significance of the wedding in Britain. It focuses upon a number of issues including the commercialization of the event, the dynamics of heterosexual partnerships, and the influence of romance. The new commercial wedding is further explored in relation to broader socio-structural transformations and the modernization of marriage law. This book draws upon the experiences of marrying couples as well as media evidence.

Inhalt

List of Figures and Tables Acknowledgements Introduction: Consumerism, Romance and the Wedding Experience Romancing the Consumer: The Romantic Ethic and Beyond 'Superbrides': Wedding Industries and Consumer Cultures Wedding Preparations: The Significance of Consumption The Wedding Fantasy: Consuming Emotions on the Big Day A Never Ending Story? The Aftermath of Wedding Consumption Conclusions Appendix A: A Summary of How the Research was Conducted Appendix B: Couple Profiles and Wedding Details Bibliography Index