Posted on: July 8, 2009

What a Difference 40 Years Makes

A look at what’s modern for weddings, then and now

By Timothy R. Schulte
CTW Features

When my parents were engaged and went to meet with the priest at the church where they were to be married, the first thing he asked them was whether or not my mom was pregnant. That might seem like an odd question to ask in a small Iowa town – in 1968 – but, apparently, the brides in the two previous ceremonies at the church both had been pregnant. Who knew?

What was a concern then might be more accepted now – maternity gown boutique MaternityBride.com cites one in six brides being pregnant when married – and that’s just one of the many differences in the bridal landscape between the late ’60s and the late whatever it is you call this decade.

To get a better take on how “now” has changed over the last 40 years in the nuptial world, I tracked down a Modern Bride magazine from June/July 1968, when my folks would have been planning their wedding, and from June/July 2009, when I’m in the throes of my own wedding plans. Here’s what I discovered.

The Cover

The covers of both magazines – like all bridal magazines – are designed to capture brides’ attention and inspire them with bold fashions and exciting coverlines.

The ’68 magazine features a bride wearing a white satin-frosted dress with crystals and mock pearls on re-embroidered Alençon with a cowl neck and removable train from Milady (price NA)’ the ’09 dress white taffeta and lace strapless gown with crystal brooch and sash from Exclusive Bridals by Allure ($678).

The similar approach, however, is differentiated in the coverlines/types of stories being teased outside.

The ’68 coverlines on dresses and honeymoons are fitting, but stories on bedrooms and babies show a wedding culture that more a transition from unmarried life to married life – which it is – than an event or party, which is what the culture of weddings seem to be today. Check out what’s being talked about in ’09: trendsetters, cakes, flowers, locales. The ads featured throughout both further support that difference in cultural climate between the two times.

The Contents

As mentioned, the advertising showcases many difference between then and now – but also a few similarities.

For one, there was a plethora of luggage advertisements in 1968. Samsonite, Hartman, Ventura and America Tourister all had ads, and one – Hartman – even highlighted a product called “The Shopping Bag,” large enough to fit all your travel purchases and still make it back home. I didn’t see any luggage ads in the ’09 issue, nor do I currently have any on my registry. On the opposite, ads for bridesmaid dresses are commonplace in today’s bridal mags but were completely nonexistent 40 years ago.

As for china and crystal, the same brands you saw then are the same you see today – Lenox, Noritake, Wedgwood and Waterford. Wedgwood, for instance, in 1968 is advertising its new Westbury pattern; today it’s advertising it’s collaboration with wedding impresario Vera Wang. Noritake, in ’68, promotes it’s legendary status; today it’s being promoted as part of the registry by retailed Dillard’s. Noritake also will be the china in my new household, as Melissa inherited her grandmother’s circa 1940 collection.

The same goes for some of the dresses. Ads for Priscilla of Boston, Christos and Alfred Angelo appeared then and are just as likely to be seen today.

Crane’s, the stationer that dates back to the 18th century, also continues its legacy today with designer lines, including Kate Spade and Martha Stewart.

How-to & How Much

Like most magazines today, the ’68 MB features a countdown checklist for what to do when in your planning process. The big-day advice back then:

Have a leisurely breakfast, and your day—so carefully planned—is off to a glorious start. Absolutely everything is everything has been done will be perfect, so relax and enjoy yourself.

The most interesting aspect of the countdown is the layout: it begins on page 158, goes to page 160, and then it jumps back to the front of the book to page 10, a pagination technique you just won’t see today.

In terms of etiquette, the present-day practices are more mindful of money. If you’re looking to cut down on expenses, there’s a story on how to tell friends they’re not invited (as previewed on the cover!). Where as in the older issue, in a “Who Pays for What” feature, it tells both the bride and groom to pay for their attendants’ accommodations – a practice I’m sure many-a-couple are thankful is out of mode today.

Gowns

The haute fashion of the late ’60s were waisted gowns – belted, sleeved and long. Today, they’re often sleeveless, can be short and don’t have to be white (like the Jenny Lee dress in the main gown spread).

Honeymoons

The’68 story on the Bahamas would be just as appropriate today. But today’s domestic destinations are more California (think Napa or Santa Barbara) than Creole, like the ’68 story on New Orleans. Fun fact: Both Melissa’s and my parents honeymooned in New Orleans.

Grooms

There was not much for grooms back then, editorial-wise, other than a him-specific what-to-do-when checklist. But today, there’s a “we” mentality in the wedding copy and a “he” mentality in the ads – promos for Men’s Warehouse and Scott Kay’s Javlin ring collection are common fixtures.

Modern-Day Marvels

Finally, there are just some things that are a sign of the times. Today, an annual feature in Modern Bride is their list of Trendsetters – 25 pros who are leading the way with the latest and greatest in weddings. Some of today’s trends, such as wedding videos shot on vintage 8mm film, were the standard medium years ago. But perhaps the most prescient item of all came from the 41-year-old mag – a cartoon featuring two amorphous and, well, amorous figures, the male being told by the female: “I don’t care if we did meet by computer. That machine is not going to be your best man.”

In a modern world in which couples often log onto dating sites long before they log onto Brides.com, something like that simply makes you smile.

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