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View From Venus: What Women Think Of Weddings

By Sarah Stefanson

[View From Venus]

Why are women much more concerned with weddings than men are? Sarah Stefanson uncovers the motivation behind female wedding hysteria.

It’s not unusual for little girls to "play wedding" by dressing up their Barbie dolls or themselves and acting out their future I Dos. You never see little boys playing this game though, unless forced to by an older sister. Does the desire for a wedding come with female chromosomes or are we taught that getting married is the ultimate goal of our lives? It turns out that the answer is: probably a little of both.

This week in View From Venus, I’ll attempt to explain the female perspective on weddings and over in Message From Mars, Matthew will take a stab at clarifying the male take on the subject.

Creating Bridezillas

There is some biological evidence to suggest that women desire commitment more often and more fervently than men. This is because, in evolutionary terms, the more committed our partner is, the easier it will be to raise our young. The biological justification only goes so far on this particular issue, however, because a desire for commitment does not necessitate a wedding. In our society the wedding has become the ultimate symbol of unity between two people. Add to this the mind-boggling array of wedding-related advertising and promotion aimed squarely at the female consumer and you’ve got a recipe for Bridezilla madness.

The Perfect Princess Wedding

The reason a vast majority of women want a big, white wedding is because, from a very young age, we are taught to start fantasizing about our own big day and how perfect and magical it will be. From playing with our Barbies to reading the latest bridal magazines, the image of the perfect princess wedding is what we are told we should aim to achieve. As a man, you may not see the need for a $2,000 dollar dress that she will only wear once, but in her mind it has become an absolute necessity.

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