Wedding Reception as an Information Ground
The wedding reception is a different sort of information ground; it is not a consistently scheduled event, nor does it have a fixed location or a set of "regular" attendees. In fact, a defining feature is that receptions are of indeterminate timing, in new locations, and with variable guest lists. However, they often share a common core set of participants. A group of close friends are likely to be the thread linking a series of wedding receptions to one another. Alternately, family and close family friends are also likely to attend a similar (but unrelated) series of wedding receptions as a generation of people gets married. The result is an interesting mixture of people who know some, but not other attendees. However, there are distinct similarities and differences among these individuals which link them together.
Attendees are typically chosen from among a small number of sets: family members, spouses and family friends, and personal friends of the participants. These groups often represent different social circles, or clusters of strong ties. This relates to Granovetter's theory of the strength of weak ties. Essentially, a wedding reception provides a unique mixture of close friends (strong ties) and loose acquaintances (weak ties), allowing for a simultaneous interchange between mixed groups of people. The groups themselves can be defined along common social traits. For example, personal friends of the bride or groom will likely contain individuals of similar age who have a common shared experience, perhaps having been former coworkers or college classmates. The grouping is not defined by a geographical boundary, but rather from a prior common experience. This enables sharing of information between like individuals who may not consider themselves close friends.
In terms of physical layout, a wedding reception is typically set up with clusters of guests evenly distributed among different tables for the evening. The wedding party is typically situated in a central location, with table proximally located based on the type of relationship with the wedding party. Close friends and relatives will often be situated more centrally, while acquaintances and extended family may be relegated to the periphery. This physical arrangement in combination with the common socio-economic clustering of guests inevitably results in conversation.
Topics sometimes include events such as relationships or other health issues associated with a given demographic. Older relatives and their friends may engage in discussion about getting old, while the younger people may discuss topics such as childbirth and exercise. There is also the opportunity for incidental knowledge transfer as crosspollination occurs between groups of guests. While people seated at different tables may or may not know each other directly, the tables are close enough that some inter-group communication is likely, particularly when topics of conversation shift to events and situations which affect both groups.
The wedding reception itself is a celebration, but it also forms the basis for a unique type of information ground. The time and location of this ground changes with each occurrence, but there are overriding social patterns that make weddings a particularly interesting venue for the exchange of information, particularly concerning cultural knowledge, health information, and social ties.
Alan Au, The Information School - University of Washington