Why have Bridezillas evolved?

A friend and I were talking about weddings we have observed in different capacities this morning. We recalled brides we have encountered, and noted that they had seemed to become increasingly immature in the past decade, and wondered why it might be. It seems as though brides have moved away from viewing marriage as a move into adulthood towards seeing it as an opportunity to relive childhood – complete with Disney princess dresses, tantrums, tears and pouting.

We looked back on our own childhoods – same time, opposite sides of the channel – yet they were more alike than they were different. We both played outside in good weather, in friend’s homes in bad. We rode bikes, roller skated, set up improvised ball games, and played house under tables and washing lines with sheets and blankets we cajoled our from our mothers. We made up games with who ever was there, the older children spontaneously looking out for the younger ones.

We also felt we were allowed to be children for a longer time, playing with dolls until young teens. As we talked, we realized we had been allowed to grow up at our own pace. No one tried to push us into older clothes or behaviors, and we didn’t see much allure in being teenagers. We were encourage to be young, to be busy simply with the business of being children. As we thought about it, we wondered if the current brides were using their weddings as an opportunity to make up for shortened childhoods?

In the 1980s as my daughters grew up, they were involved in activities from an early age – the specialists told mothers how important it was to keep young minds stimulated! They had time to play with friends, but instead of riding to their friends homes, they had to be escorted or taken by car. They played outside with other children, but the pool of children was smaller as their contemporaries were in after school programs or worthwhile activities, so weren’t around to play after school.

It took the long, humid, Florida summers for my daughters to discover some of the simpler pleasures of childhood; playing house under the table, drawing and coloring, and having tea parties with their dolls. We still had ballet and choir – and assorted other activities over the years – but they too were children for as long as possible, though not as long as my childhood. I wonder if their peers who had even less time to be children are feeling the effects now? Is it possible that shortened childhoods are the reason for the spate of Bridezillas?

Clearly this is not a scientific study, but perhaps it is time to review just how fast our children are hurtling into adulthood, and ask whether it would be better to let them be children for longer instead? What do you think?

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