Adrian Tomine's "Scenes from an Impending Marriage"

I like autobiographical comics, especially because they are about the lives of cartoonists. Adrian Tomine's (Optic Nerve, Summer Blonde) Scenes from an Impending Marriage (Drawn & Quarterly, 2011) is a 54-page book with 1-4 page vignettes of the events leading up to his marriage with his fiancée Sarah. The stories include making a guest list, booking a reception venue, designing the invitations, hiring a DJ, registering at Crate and Barrel, hiring a florist, etc.

This may sound humdrum, but the events are funny, and anyone who has gotten married will see a little of themselves in these comics. Adrian comes off as a slightly grumpy cheapskate (doesn't it seem like most good cartoonists are?), but the sweet-yet-firm Sarah has no problem getting her way and making Adrian come to his senses (see sample above).

This book was originally designed as a little gift that Adrian and Sarah gave to each of the wedding attendees. I'm glad they are sharing these entertaining and endearing personal stories with a wider audience.

Scenes from an Impending Marriage

• [brillow]

  It has crass commercial origins and is mostly dumb. However as the theme of wedding gifts are usually home-items, its nice to know what people actually want/need and the registry concept also keeps two people from unintentionally buying the same thing. I’d never do it though.

• [Emo Pinata]

  I’m not sold by the example, but I enjoy the look of the comic a lot.

  Awesome wedding favor.

• [millionpoems]

  > I like autobiographical comics, especially because they are about the lives of cartoonists.

  Yes. Do that again!

• [pjk]

  this reminds me how glad I am my wife and I eloped.

• [Chentzilla]

  I’ve read the comic, and I still don’t get what “registering” is.

  • [Emo Pinata]

    It’s providing a list of gifts you would want at the store you can buy them at to guests so they only get the things you want.

    Sort of a yuppie Christmas list.

    • [erg79]

      Believe it or not, people other than yuppies have wedding (or baby) registries. Hell, you can do one on Amazon and just ask for all of the DVDs and books that you’ve been wanting.

  • [Jack]

    Check out the Wikipedia entry for details. I just did and I am a bit disappointed it claims that “…the practice of a bridal registry was first instituted by Chicago-founded department store Marshall Field’s in 1924.” For some reason I alway felt it had a deeper history than pure consumerism.

    As a Jewish kid growing up in Brooklyn I simply remember family members saying “What do you need?” or giving people cash/checks.

    I find the whole practice to be “show-offy.”

    And I like Adrian Tomine, and think this is a cool mini-gift for guests. But publishing it for the word seems too “twee“ and precious.

• [Tdawwg]

  Glad to see him using a messier, sketchier, more provisional style: a nice change from his usual polished work. And is that an Ivan Brunetti (channeling Charles Schultz) sketch of the two of them on the cover?

• [frankieboy]

  Holy Christmas!! I found this lying around the house and just about shit. Impending Marriage? How about “Scenes from an Impending Heart Attack”!

  I finally asked my daughter, 19, if she was thinking about marrying the boy she’s been seeing for a couple of years. She was surprised and said no, why was I asking?

  I told her, and she said a guy who goes to her store reviews books, and gave her a few when he was finished with them!

  How do you spell relief?
  He’s a nice kid, but all things in their time.

  • [Not a Doktor]

    19? By utah standards she’s nearing her expiration date.

• [Gloria]

  People still rail against registries in this day and age? It’s practical. I’m pretty blah about weddings and even marriage in general, but this appeals to my sensibilities. I think registries make even more sense now that more couples already have established homes, etc. and won’t need more dishes and glasses, and the dozens of vases and salad servers *nobody* needs in the first place.

  Don’t forget: It’s optional. You can ignore it completely. Hell, you can give them a cheque if you want, old-school! It’s *crazy.*

• [Unmutual]

  I started reading this thinking it was gonna be yet another lame commentary on pre-wedding rituals but I ended up laughing out loud. Third panel from the last is absolutely brilliant and spot on.

• [Gloria]

  Reading the sample, it feels like Adrian’s already got his senses in place.

  Cute cover, and what a funny and thoughtful wedding favour.