Social construct of prenuptial events: From the Bridal Sheets to the Bachelorette Party.
Changes in public sexual expression from before 1900 to now are evident in countless aspects of today’s modern society, in some western cultures more than in others. This paper examines the effect these changes have had on premarital celebrations and ceremonies. In addition to addressing the changes themselves, the writer also discusses some of the possible reasons why these changes have evolved into modern bachelor and bachelorette parties and the social constructs that surround them. The writer also addresses several aspects that effect premarital celebrations and standards including evolving public sexual expression based on religion, legality, social standard and also female body image.
Traditionally even up to the early 1970’s women and men celebrated impending nuptials very differently, men with a possible illicit display of wantonness and women with a more demure event, that some would say more openly celebrated psychological union between the future bride and her female friends and family. Women were more likely to celebrate the end of their single life with quiet and communicative social aspects while men felt the need to both bond and in a sense perform the ritual of the last hurrah. (Tye and Powers, 1998, p. 552)