Hopi Bride (c. 1900)
In the American southwest, a Hopi bride dons the traditional wedding ensemble. She sports a dark dress with thick leggings, and wraps herself in a white wedding blanket. Corn played a significant role in wedding events. The women on the bride’s side ground a good deal of cornmeal, some of which was baked into piki bread, tamales, and corn pudding. The bride and her family gave these corn-based gifts to the groom’s family. Meanwhile, the male members of the groom’s family was busy weaving cotton to make the bridal clothes. Brides received two white, cotton robes for their wedding. One was hers to do with what she would like, trade it or use it. The other would be packed away for her to be buried in when she died. After the wedding, the newlyweds would live with the bride’s family, and her mother served as head of household.