Two Bouquets, Two Dresses, One Wedding

 

    The above image features a newly wed couple, better known on TikTok as Lunden and Olivia Stallings. They have a large presence and following on TikTok, as they post both about their day to day lives, but also about their relationship and how it would not have been legally possible for them to get married just 10 years ago even, in the state of Georgia, where they live. Viewers can see the couple, each with their wedding dresses and respective bouquets, as they walk down the aisle. In the background of the image, the viewer can see a few faces, one of whom is a bridesmaids, who is particularly excited, as well as a flower girl. The two brides, Lunden and Olivia are holding hands as they proceed down the aisle, with huge smiles on their faces. The subtle differences between the two brides fit their respective aesthetics which can be seen on social media. Every aspect of this photo has been cautiously handpicked by Lunden and Olivia to epitomize their relationship on their big day. While the foreground and background of the image are filled with a great amount of white, the brides’ veils and dresses allow the viewer to follow from the foreground into the background. The lines created by their elegant outfits create leading lines within the image, and add an element of complexity to the very white photograph. A stark contrast between the heavy amount of whites and green allow for the brides to really stand out in the image.
    Marianne Weber’s “Authority and Autonomy in Marriage” discusses traditional gender roles in relationships and marriages, the persistence of the patriarchy, and how changes can lead to a more equitably autonomous society. In Marianne Weber’s “Authority and Autonomy in Marriage,” she discusses authority under the traditional marriage model, where the husband is often the authoritative figure while the wife submits herself to her husband and his wishes (Weber and Bermingham 2003). This structure can be influenced by many different factors, including cultural or societal. Cultural norms and values can shape both expectations and dynamics of marriage. Weber also discusses a shift towards marriages that are more equitable, in terms of freedom and decision making (Weber and Bermingham 2003:92). The development of a fully autonomous person is an important aspect of both relationships and marriages, and women should be able to enter either of these without being subordinated to men (Weber and Bermingham 2003:100). Weber argues that women’s autonomy is essential for the personal development and self-realization of a woman (Weber and Bermingham 2003). Shifts in gender roles and economic independence are both factors of change, as they allow for the redevelopment of marriages and their basis (Weber and Bermingham 2003). Legal and social reform, she suggests, will promote gender equality within marriage, and the social views and attitudes towards women and their roles (Weber and Bermingham 2003:100).
    Legal reforms and changes in societal attitudes towards marriage have occurred, as Weber wanted, to allow for new types of marriages and shifts in both authority and autonomy in marriage. The state of Georgia, where Lunden and Olivia live and work, only legalized same-sex marriage in 2015 after the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, requiring all 50 U.S. states to legalize same-sex marriage (Oyez 2014). In recent years, cultural norms and values surrounding marriage and same-sex marriage have shifted to become more inclusive, though there remains inevitable opinions against allowing same-sex marriages. In following their social media presence, it can be seen that both Lunden and Olivia each have jobs outside of social media which allows them each to have economic freedom, one of the aspects that Weber argued for in her work. While the authoritative dynamic that is discussed in her piece focuses solely on heterosexual couples, the same themes can be applied to those of same-sex couples. For any person in a relationship, autonomy is essential for both their personal development and self-realization, and shifting understandings and conceptions of relationships and marriage allow for more space for autonomy as well as equitable authority. Lunden and Olivia, as we can see in the above image, have different personalities and lives, but have come together and have created a strong and beautiful marriage, what Weber would have wanted as she discusses the coming together of two people and personalities to form relationships and marriages. The presence of marriages, like Lunden and Olivia’s, on social media are important for the recognition of the shift of gender roles in marriages and for the future of continued change in marriages and relationships.

References

Austin, Clay. 2023. “Untitled.” From People. Retrieved April 17, 2024 (https://people.com/tiktok-couple-lunden-and-olivia-married-wedding-exclusive-7976246).

Oyez. 2014. “Obergefell v. Hodges.” Oyez. Retrieved April 17, 2024 (https://www.oyez.org/cases/2014/14-556). 

Weber, Marianne and Craig R. Bermingham. 2003. “Authority and Autonomy in Marriage.” Sociological Theory 21(2):85-102.