I was sent on a sort of emotional roller coaster upon seeing these following headlines: “Ikea Makes Virtual Weddings Possible.” First: curiosity. Online weddings? Was this article published on April Fool’s day? No, which meant that it was at least somewhat legit. So, I read on to answer some of my looming questions. Then, I found the whole thing sort of comical.
The advertisement features a fake couple getting married on video chat with family and friends from around the world chatting in as well. All of their heads pop up on cartoon bodies of a bride, groom, pastor, as well as cartoon guests all throughout the audience. Basically, it resembles an animation wedding filled with a bunch of disproportionate bobble heads crying at the “emotional” experience as the virtual heads say their vows. How can you not laugh at that? Finally, I reached a state of utter sadness as the final words, “Love should be easy,” lined the screen.
Yes, love should be easy, something we have always heard. You shouldn’t feel uncomfortable to not be yourself; you shouldn’t fear your other partner; you shouldn’t argue all the time over trivial things. You should feel love and trust and comfort and all of those beautiful things that come with a love that is pure and true. It should seem natural, encouraging, and genuine.
But is this virtual reality really what love in our generation is coming to? Should a wedding, something that marks the beginning of the rest of our lives, really be THIS simple?
Over the past few years, dating culture has changed drastically, something that is no secret. With the technological increase society has undergone, dating has appropriately transformed. While our grandfathers explain the days when they used to knock on our grandma’s door to get her father’s approval before taking her out skating or to a movie, we are busy texting our newest crush or checking them out on Facebook and Twitter.
A new relationship status has developed called “talking,” when two people text everyday, but do not really hang out or go on a dates. After they “talk” for a long period of time and decide that they want to take the relationship further, they officially begin “dating,” which may not even contain any real dates in public. It is more just a “boyfriend-girlfriend” title on the relationship. College students similarly experience a new “hook up” culture filled with random, meaningless dance floor make-outs lacking a true conversation or connection.
To say this lack of physical connection can be the downfall of our society may sound completely melodramatic. You may be thinking, “Sure, I do text that boy a lot, but I also can have a normal conversation with him in person, so what’s the issue?” I applaud that ability to converse face-to-face and do not doubt that many people still hold personal connections as an important value. But, what will happen when this trend somehow takes hold and people around the world are no longer worrying about wedding venues or a bridal party or buying that perfect white dress that they have dreamed about since they played with Barbies as children? I do not have a solution; I do not know the answer to this absurd new phenomenon, but I do know that I fear what it may lead to.
Before you go about planning your dream wedding at a beautiful enchanted forest (yes this is one of the background options for your potential online wedding), please think about it first. How can a marriage that didn’t begin with face-to-face interaction somehow last once the computers and phones are taken away? What will the future look like if physical human interaction suddenly ceases to exist? And, maybe next time you are texting that boy, you can suggest a nice trip to the Freeze or Panera instead of a night spent on your phones in separate dorm rooms.
Check out the advertisement here: http://elitedaily.com/news/world/married-online-ikeas-virtual-weddings-video/1000010/