The practice of remembering sometimes takes the form of ritual in order to enforce, embody and sustain social bonds and values. American wedding photography is a strong example of an instance in which remembering becomes a formalized symbolic performance through an intricate system of idealization as prescribed by various authorities. An examination of the production and exhibition practices constituting wedding photography (using various interview and observation methodologies) reveals a process through which participants solidify and maintain the social transformation marriage creates, communicate values to future generations, and cope with the implications of aging and death
