<![CDATA[Amid the intensifying currents of modernization and globalization, a segment of Javanese society in urban areas continues to uphold the complete Javanese traditional wedding ceremony. This phenomenon is compelling to examine, as the choice demands considerable economic, cultural, and social capital, while embodying complex dimensions of cultural identity representation and social status. This study aims to describe and analyze how Javanese communities represent their cultural identity and social status through the complete Javanese traditional wedding ceremony, and to identify the social, cultural, and economic factors underlying this decision amid modernization. The research employs a qualitative approach with an ethnographic design and Clifford Geertz's thick description analysis. Data were collected through participant observation and in-depth interviews with ten informants, including three couples, a wedding organizer, a bridal stylist, a traditional elder, wedding guests, and content creators in the Bekasi area, West Java, from April to June 2026. The findings reveal that Javanese traditional weddings function as a living and meaningful symbol system in which each ceremony constitutes an active symbolic act of cultural identity construction. The completeness of the ceremony correlates with socioeconomic status; however, true distinction is measured by depth of cultural appreciation rather than material extravagance. Intercultural weddings reinforce appreciation of traditional meanings, while digital content creators play a significant role in expanding the transmission of Javanese cultural values in the contemporary era.]]>
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