MATRIMANIA

Created for an illustration class focused on the topic of subversion, this project aimed to critically challenge the superfluousness of traditional bridal and wedding culture in North America.

project scope + details

Project Type: ILUS300 @ Emily Carr University of Art & Design
Skills & Learning Objectives: Critical design, hand-drawn illustration, typography
Additional Skills Involved: Illustrations, copy, typeface selection, layout, design and card craftwork were completed by Diana Law. Flower and heart embellishments were sourced from Michael's.
Programs Utilized: Adobe Photoshop CS6

DESIGN RESEARCH PROCESS 

To get a sense of the scale of luxury associated with wedding culture, vast visual research was conducted. The research ranged from informative sources such as news articles, practical wedding planners, and sociological papers on the evolution of historical wedding traditions. Tactile visual research was collected as well, including reams of wedding magazines, gift bags, invitations, and cards. As stationary was a significant staple in wedding rituals, congratulatory wedding cards became the object of subversion for this project.

SUMMARY OF EXECUTION

While superficially retaining the visual language of bridal stationary, each card was made to contain a startling, satirical message that challenged the recipient to critically reconsider a particular aspect of traditional wedding culture. Such aspects included its symbolism as a rite of passage, the societal expectations on women, the value of the average financial costs and subsequent debts associated, and finally, its representation of eternal partnership. By juxtaposing the tradition of bridal culture with the modern, sassy copy within, each card challenged the recipient's preconceived definition of matrimony.