ABSTRACT
Marriage occurs in the majority of world cultures (Rosenblatt & Anderson, 1981), and the wedding itself is considered a special ritual event. It is a rite of passage that culturally marks a person’s transition from one life stage to another and redefines social and personal identity (Bell, 1997). This vital ritualistic event, long dictated by cultural values and processes, offers an opportunity for couples to declare their new identity publicly and to bring together families and friends through a prescribed collection of artifacts, roles, and scripts (Rook, 1985). Such ritual elements were historically dictated by local communities (K.Bulcroft, R.Bulcroft, Smeins, & Cranage, 1997): So what happens to the ritual when the community becomes a global village? Whose cultural values and customs are used? How are divergent personal and cultural values of the couple and their extended families negotiated when planning the cross-cultural wedding?
