The wedding day: A phenomenological exploration

Abstract

This study described the meaning of the wedding day as experienced by brides who were planning their upcoming weddings. Topics that were addressed included: an investigation into the meaning of the wedding day as created by young women who were planning their wedding days; with a focus on the role of traditions and rituals in the creation of the meaning day; and an examination of how significant others were involved in the creation of the meaning behind the wedding day. Brides were recruited from a variety of sources, including students and attendants at a local bridal fair. Criteria for inclusion required that brides were young, heterosexual women between the ages of 21 and 30, were formally engaged to be married, had a specific wedding date set within 12 months, and had never been married. Fourteen brides participated in interviews. Giorgi's (1985, 1997) phenomenological procedure was used for data analysis. Findings revealed six essences that influenced the brides' created meaning of the wedding day. The six essential findings were labeled using concepts from symbolic interaction theory: symbols, role-taking, role-making, definition of self definition of the situation, and definition of other. Within each of the six essences, several themes emerged. Symbols were a predominant influence on the creation of the wedding day. Symbols were described when brides discussed the various traditions and rituals they were adopting, adapting, and avoiding as they planned their weddings. Brides went about role-taking and role-making in an effort to create their wedding days. Brides were guided in their role-taking and role-making through their use of wedding documents, such as bridal magazines. Brides' desired wedding days were also shaped around the definitions they carried of themselves and their definitions of the situation that they hoped to create on their wedding day. Several significant others were involved in the creation of the meaning of the wedding. Significant others were found to be both helpful and unhelpful to the brides. Overall, the meaning of the wedding day represented the influence of these six essences as the bride went about planning the wedding day she hoped to create.