Cinderella Dreams: The Allure of the Lavish Wedding (Life Passages, 2)

401 Pages·2003·2.81 MB·English

by  Cele C. Otnes

CINDERELLA DREAMS
LIFE PASSAGES
Ronald L. Grimes and Robbie Davis-Floyd, Editors
1. Deeply into the Bone: Re-inventing Rites of Passage,
by Ronald L. Grimes
2. Cinderella Dreams: The Allure of the Lavish Wedding,
by Cele C. Otnes and Elizabeth H. Pleck
3. On Our Way: The Final Passage through Life and Death,
by Robert Kastenbaum
CINDERELLA DREAMS
The Allure of the Lavish Wedding
Cele C. Otnes
Elizabeth H. Pleck
University of California Press Berkeley Los Angeles London
University of California Press
Berkeley and Los Angeles, California
University of California Press, Ltd.
London, England
© 2003 by The Regents of the University of
California
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication
Data
Otnes, Cele.
Cinderella dreams : the allure of the lavish
wedding / Cele C. Otnes, Elizabeth H. Pleck.
p. cm. — (Life passages)
Includes bibliographical references and
index.
ISBN 0–520–23661–0 (alk. paper).
1. Weddings. 2. Weddings in popular
culture. 3. Consumer behavior.
I. Pleck, Elizabeth Hafkin. II. Title.
III. Series.
HQ745 .)7 2003
395.2'2—dc21
2002151318
Manufactured in the United States of America
13 12 11 10 09 08 07 06 05 04
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
The paper used in this publication is both
acid-free and totally chlorine-free (TCF). It
meets the minimum requirements of
ANSI/NISO Z39.48–1992 (R 1997)
(Permanence of Paper).1
To Mark and Emily
To Joe and Dan

The pleasure of your company
is requested to share
the dream of a lifetime.
To cherish an event
filled with happiness and love.
To witness the sweet joy of today
and the loving promise of tomorrow.
To admire the perfect dress
for the perfect day.
The pleasure of your company
is requested to share
this romantic moment in time.
Copy taken from the 2001 “Romantic
Wedding” Barbie doll package.
Courtesy of Mattel, Inc.

CONTENTS
List of Illustrations xi
Acknowledgments xiii
1. Romance, Magic, Memory, and Perfection 1
2. The Rise of the Lavish Wedding 25
3. The Engagement Complex 55
4. The Rituals of Wedding Shopping 81
5. The Wedding Weekend 105
6. From the Cabin to Cancún 134
7. Hollywood Hosts a Wedding 164
8. The Lavish Wedding Goes Global 197
9. Variations on a Theme 228
10. Luxury, Lavishness, and Love 264
Notes 281
Bibliography 333
Index 365