Almost all religions require their members to dress appropriately. At a wedding, the bride and groom also need to dress modestly. However, the catholic church will not allow a bride or groom to wear specific attire during their wedding ceremony. When picking a wedding dress, the bride should ask herself if the priest or deacon will agree to officiate her wedding if she came to her wedding wearing that wedding dress.
So, can you wear a strapless wedding dress at a catholic wedding? The catholic church does not strictly forbid wearing a strapless wedding dress; but it all depends on the wedding officiant. Some priests will allow one to wear a strapless wedding dress, albeit with some conditions, while others will not allow it. The priest decides whether the wedding attire is appropriate or not.
It is the dream of every bride to wear the most beautiful wedding dress at her wedding. Sometimes the most beautiful dress can also be inappropriate for a church wedding ceremony. Read on to find out more about the catholic church’s position on a strapless wedding dress and the catholic wedding dress code.
Wearing a Strapless Wedding Dress in A Catholic Wedding
A bride should always bear in mind that if she plans to have a church wedding, then there could be some restrictions on how a wedding dress should appear. A wedding dress for a catholic wedding ceremony should be modest and appropriate. The attire should be comfortable throughout the ceremony and should not attract unwelcome attention from the guests.
In general, the catholic church requires that women wear clothes that cover their shoulders and do not show their knees. Hence, the wedding dress has to be long enough to cover the shoulders and knees. A strapless wedding dress does not cover the shoulders; therefore, the bride cannot wear it unless permitted by the priest. If a bride wants to wear a strapless wedding dress, she must consult with the priest before buying one.
One of the reasons why a bride will be denied wearing a strapless wedding dress is a matter of comfort. A strapless wedding dress needs to fit perfectly; otherwise, the bride will spend most of the time trying to adjust it. It is also prone to a wardrobe malfunction, and no bride wants such a misfortune during their wedding.
Another reason is a strapless wedding dress shows too much skin. The catholic church requests that women cover their shoulders; hence, a priest will not be thrilled with a wedding dress that shows the bride’s cleavage and shoulders. If the priest allows the bride to wear a strapless dress, he might give her some conditions to make it modest.
The bride can use a shawl or jacket to cover her shoulders. Some of the strapless wedding dresses will come with the option of a shawl or jacket. The bride can wear them during the wedding ceremony in the church and remove them when she goes to her wedding reception. Depending on how long the veil is, the bride can use it covers her shoulders.
Depending on the bride’s financial position, the priest can advise her to have two wedding dresses. One wedding dress for the church ceremony and the other for the reception and photography sessions. The one for the church ceremony will be modest a while for the one for the reception, the bride is free to wear whatever she feels comfortable in.
The bride should ask the priest about the church’s stand on dress codes for the brides. Conservative priests and deacons will request a modest wedding dress. Modern priests might be flexible in deciding what makes up an appropriate wedding dress.
Therefore, you can show the priest some pictures of the wedding dress you want to wear; if he thinks it is not modest, he will suggest ways through which you can improve it to look appropriate.
Do not make the mistake of purchasing a strapless wedding dress before talking to the priest about the dress code. The priest might decide that it is the wrong dress and request that you get another one. He will not care if the dress how much the dress costs. Make sure you get express permission from him before you decide on buying that dress.
Catholic Wedding Dress Code
Modesty is essential in many religious organizations. Most religious groups have different ways that they dress while maintaining modesty. Modesty seeks to avoid inappropriate outfits for sacred places and ceremonies. The bride and the groom have to dress appropriately as required by the catholic church. The bride and groom need to look their best during their wedding, but it is also essential to dress modestly and appropriately.
Each parish has its own rules on how the bride and groom and their wedding party should dress during the wedding ceremony. A common practice is that both men and women should not show their shoulders and knees. The bride should avoid dresses that tend to show her neckline and shoulders. Some churches will also restrict wearing sleeveless wedding dresses.
The bride should avoid transparent and short wedding dresses as well. A transparent or short dress will attract unwanted attention from the guests. Deep back wedding dresses and wedding dresses with high slits are not allowed by the catholic church. The bride should also avoid tight wedding dress. Tight wedding dresses are uncomfortable and will be problematic when asked by the priest to kneel during prayers.
For the groom, a tailored suit or tuxedo is appropriate. Men are also not allowed to show their shoulders and knees in the church. Hence, a groom will not be allowed to wear sleeveless shirts and shorts at his wedding. The groom’s dress code is official, with no casual attires. The priest will not allow the groom to wear jeans and sneakers. These rules apply to the guests too.
For brides, if the wedding dress shows your shoulders, the priest will allow you to cover them with a shawl or jacket during the ceremony. You can also use removable sleeves for the wedding dress if the priests request you to cover your arms. For grooms, there is no way around it; just find a nice tailored suit or tuxedo. If the bride and groom have tattoos, they should try their best to cover them.
They should also cover or remove any unconventional body piercings. Dressing modestly is a way of showing respect to your wedding officiant and the church.
Final Word
Every priest wants the bride to dress modestly. A strapless wedding dress is a beautiful dress, but to a priest, it might be inappropriate. If you have a strapless wedding dress or want to purchase one for your wedding, you can ask your priest or deacon for permission.
The priest may allow you to wear a strapless wedding dress if you make a few changes to it or add some clothing pieces on to make it appropriate.
The priest might allow specific dress choices, but it has to be reasonable. The priest might allow the bride to wear a strapless wedding dress but not wear a wedding dress with a high slit. The bride and groom should make an effort to be modest during their wedding ceremony.
Being modest is considered a sign of respect for the church and the sanctity of the marriage. The bride and groom might receive communion during the wedding ceremony; hence, important to dress appropriately for the part.
