You May Now Diss the Bride: Gender, Celebrity, Consumption and the Allure of Wedding-Themed Reality TV

Reality television and social media have demonstrated how ordinary people often go to extreme lengths to obtain fame. When the pursuit of success on these public platforms intersects with the highly commercialized American wedding, it creates a space where brides are positioned as central figures of a carefully staged performance. This space highlights the relationship between gendered behavior and consumer culture, offering a unique perspective on how the media influences personal and collective identities.

This book analyzes three reality shows: Say Yes to the Dress, which reinforces traditional gender roles and beauty ideals; Bridezillas, which critiques women's behavior and emotional expression; and Keeping Up with the Kardashians, which demonstrates how weddings are sites of celebrity culture and consumer excess. Together, these programs both reflect and shape public conversations about identity, power, and social norms in relation to gender, race, class, and sexuality. By combining textual analysis with audience reception studies, it explores both the messages conveyed by these programs and how audiences interpret and engage with them, offering a nuanced account of how weddings in contemporary media impact culture and identity.