This Day Is to Be Special: the Role of Exaggerated Contrast in an Indian Wedding (18:24)

The film documents how audial and visual cues are purposely exaggerated in Indian weddings, arguably to distinguish the sacred from the profane. In one instance, wedding participants use the colors gold, red, orange and silver. Significantly, these colors are rarely seen in such brilliance and concentration in everyday Indian life. In another instance, the groom approaches the bride on the wedding day accompanied by a large band which involves traditional auspicious instruments such as the Shehnai. The sound of the band contrasts starkly with the traffic and white noise of Delhi streets. The film supports Belk, Wallendorf, & Sherry’s (1989) idea that a key characteristic of sacredness in contemporary consumer culture is its separation from the profane.

Citation:

Ekant Veer (2009) ,"This Day Is to Be Special: the Role of Exaggerated Contrast in an Indian Wedding (18:24)", in NA - Advances in Consumer Research Volume 36, eds. Ann L. McGill and Sharon Shavitt, Duluth, MN : Association for Consumer Research, Pages: 801-801.