Guiding Questions and Map

How did this happen? What are the forces that are contributing to this increase in wedding pressure, not just among so-called Braidezillas, but among all American brides and grooms? And what is the significance...of the escalation of the American wedding? (Preface, 4) 
My interest in the wedding industry...was driven by a conviction that weddings provide an unparalleled lens upon the intimate sphere of American life, and that the way we marry reveals a great deal about prevailing cultural expectations of love, hopes of marriage, and sense of the role of family...It is a premise of this book that weddings are social events...and that they give expression...to the values and preoccupations of the society in which they take place. (Preface, 6) 
Chapter 1: bridal media and their influence in shaping the "standard" at an American wedding; their role in brokering relationship between brides and businessmen who serve them 
Chapter 2: career calling of the professional wedding planner 
Chapter 3: how the idea of tradition is manipulated by commercial interests 
Chatper 4: the wedding gown 
Chapter 5: the wedding registry 
Chapter 6: role of religion; nuptial spirituality 
Chapter 7: towns in which weddings constitute a crucial part of local economy
Chapter 8: recording and preserving the day of memory 
Chapter 9: honeymoon
What is a wedding for?