The Social Construction of the North American Honeymoon, 1880-1995

Abstract

This article examines the social narratives of the American honeymoon from 1880 to 1995. Using a constructionist perspective, the cultural and historical develop ment of the honeymoon is presented, with particular attention given to the ways in which the development of shared cultural narratives has influenced contempo rary honeymoon expectations. Data were obtained from popular press magazine articles, and content analysis was conducted on these articles using Ethnograph, a computer-based content analysis program. The honeymoon "narrative" over time is explored through examining the setting, activities, actors, and scripts as depicted in popular press literature. The feminization of the honeymoon over time is discussed, and the sociological implications regarding the routinization and standardization of romance in the contemporary honeymoon are presented.