Cebu Weddings:
Apart from the Usual By Michelle Eve A. de Guzman
01 August 2008
Weddings are a big thing,
whichever part of the country you are in. But in Cebu, some
occasions call for a double-take, either out of felicity or
bewilderment.
Did you know that one Cebu
wedding planner had 600 bridesmaids dance ballet for the couple
during their wedding?
So said Ritchie Mendoza
of Cebu Events Maker when he handled the wedding of Cebu-based
jeweler Miranda Konstantinidou at the Ocean Pavilion in Shangri-la
Mactan.
Kasalang Filipino 2007 Cebu Leg
Cebu Events Maker is a member
of the Association of Sugbu’s Wedding Planners and Coordinators,
Inc (ASWPC). And yes, the wedding industry in Cebu has gotten
so big that wedding planners had to form their own association.
The City’s wedding planners got together to organize
events promoting the wedding industry, share trade secrets,
and simply get to know one another.
The news is in: complicated
weddings are no problem with these wedding planners at the
helm.
Did you know that the Cebu
archdiocese has new guidelines for church weddings?
They call it “trimming
the unnecessary parts.” Archdiocese officials came up
with new rules implemented last Easter Sunday of 2007 to do
away with numerous extras not supposed to be included in the
liturgy.
Liturgical coordinator Roland
Cabiluna espoused simplicity and did away with “theatrical”
moments by limiting wedding ceremonies from 45 minutes to
one hour only in all parishes under the Archdiocesse of Cebu.
Moreover, church wedding
participants, down to the ring bearers and flower girls, should
only be those who have been baptized and have received the
first communion. Official lectors and psalmists are also the
only ones allowed to read the scripture reading, carefully
chosen by the couple after reflection and discussions with
the priests.
Making your own vows won’t
be a problem in Cebu as own or reworded vows from the Rite
of Marriage are not allowed. The same goes for popular and
secular music within the church buildings.
The Fashion Council of Cebu
also better heed the new guidelines since gowns and dresses
should cover the shoulders and back of the bride. It must
also fall below the knees, and must not have slits.
Bid adieu to rice, birdseed,
confetti and petals thrown within church grounds.
Cebu Bridal Fashion
Arcs and
canopies in the sanctuary and church entrance are also discouraged.
Did you know that Cebu has
its own share of wedding dramas?
Newspapers fell into frenzy
over a human interest piece like that of a bride-to-be this
year.
Suing would-be husband close
to P500,000 in actual damages (expenses incurred during the
wedding, moral damages and attorney’s fees) for leaving
her at the altar, Gaviola recounted how a girl shouted at
the priest to stop the wedding just when the priest asked
the guy if he would take her to be his lawfully wedded wife.
In the end, after a few
months, the girl dropped the charges.
Did you know that Cebu's
popular wedding month is May?
Cebu is also not excluded from nationwide trends.
According to the National Statistics office, May,
and not June is the wedding month for Filipinos.
Most couples get married before a judge or politician
in the month of May, the month of flowers and festivals,
when the fiesta season rolls around. December ranks
second, followed by January. See? June didn’t
even make it to the top three!
