Saturday, April 21, 2007 Planners worry over church rules
THE new guidelines on wedding ceremonies issued by the Archdiocese of Cebu might hamper the growth of the flourishing wedding planning industry in Cebu, an industry pioneer said.
Wedding stylist Teresin Mendezona said the “too many do’s and don’t’s” in the wedding guidelines will affect the income of wedding planners, as this will lessen the services they can offer their clients.
“But I’m sure the Archdiocese has its reasons for this,” she said in an interview at the Marco Polo Plaza Hotel.
The new guidelines, which took effect last Easter Sunday, will apply only to weddings that will be held in the parishes and other institutions under the Archdiocese of Cebu.
Aside from the venue, the rules also cover wedding outfits and the ceremony, among others.
Creative
However, local fashion designers have accepted the guidelines, saying they are a challenge for them to be more creative.
“You can always be creative about it,” said Philip Rodriguez, a member of the Fashion Council of Cebu (FCC) said.
Arcy Gayatin, another FCC member, said it should still depend on the couple.
“If the bride wants to show skin, then she can always take off a shawl in a reception,” she said.
Under the guidelines released by the archdiocese, dresses should be designed in a way that these cover the shoulders and the back of the bride and her maids and should be above the knee and without slits.
Also, part of the regulations is the required screening of gown designs prior to the ceremony.
But local designers are confident that they will not sacrifice style to simplicity.
“I am never affected, since I am not making my brides (as) models of anybody’s imagination. I am aware that they are not in church to parade,” Rodriguez told Sun.Star Cebu.
Overdoing
He agrees with the church regulations, saying these are needed since some people are “overdoing” wedding ceremonies.
Gayatin said the regulations are acceptable, but said that it would have been better if the church allowed them to be implemented within a span of a year to give engaged couples a chance to change some plans.
“During my time as a bride, everything was very basic and simple. I find weddings now quite obscure,” she said.
But for Minnie Yuvienco, another FCC member, the parents of the couples and the couples themselves can be responsible enough to regulate the wedding.
But she does not find any need for officiating priests to screen the wedding dresses.
“(There should be no need for screening) As long as the wedding dresses are decent and won’t show any cleavage. I don’t even think that showing shoulders is indecent,” she said.
Lifetime
Couples are also not allowed to compose their own vows or reword the vows provided for the Rite of Marriage, as approved by the archdiocese.
Secular and popular music are also not allowed to be played during the liturgy and within the church building.
But Mendezona said the Church should also consider the couples to be wed, especially the bride.
“A girl gets married only once in a lifetime. This is her only day, give it to her,” she said.
Fendezona and the FCC attended the “Weddings at the Marco Polo Plaza” bridal fair engagement party Thursday night. (JBN/Bejay Villaflores, STC Mass Comm intern)
