cover shoulders for catholic wedding?

[photon]

i am going to a catholic wedding this weekend. i need to cover my shoulders, right? thanks

[adlove]

Honestly, I think that advice is a bit outdated. I'm catholic and have been to several catholic weddings and it's not necessary, at least where I'm from.

[brooklyn]

It varies parish by parish (I was allowed a strapless dress for my catholic wedding), but I'd bring a sweater/shawl just to be safe.

[babygirlpriest]

take a wrap or cardi to be safe but like pp, it'll just depend on that particular church I think.

[photon]

thanks, everyone! i will bring something along just in case. hopefully they have air conditioning

[sasky]

My family is as Catholic as they come, and I don't know anyone who adheres to this.

[FormerCityGirl]

It depends on the parish and the Priest or Deacon. Bring something just to be safe. The Church is starting to get stricter again and you never know what they will say is inappropriate. If it's a Basilica, it could be even stricter than a regular Church. I have multiple Priests, Deacons, and Nuns in my family. I know at least one who would say something. Most Churches will have AC. You could almost store meat in the one my parentms go to every week.

[Deleted]

I think it depends on the particular church. When my cousin got married 15 years ago in the catholic church, her bridesmaids had sleeveless dresses. I would take a shawl to be on the save side but I think that is a bit outdated.

[NachoProblem]

My family is catholic (I'm not anymore) and it's never been an issue with weddings, etc.

[futurepivko]

Jul 24, 2012 16:15:38 GMT -5 sasky said:

My family is as Catholic as they come, and I don't know anyone who adheres to this.

Same here, I got married Catholic, and I know people didnt follow that 'rule'.

[carolinagirl831]

I"m catholic and have been to a million catholic weddings, and I think that is outdated. I've only been in one conservative church where this was a "rule" and it more applied to the bride and bridal party, there is no way guests would know. where whatever you want!

[zimsgirl]

I wore a strapless dress for my Catholic wedding, all bridesmaids wore strapless, and some guests wore strapless. I haven't seen many younger women follow that rule and I know I don't lol

[juangela]

Outdated. Bring something if you're worried, but I'm going to my BIL's catholic wedding in a few weeks and I'm wearing a strapless dress. I didn't give my bare shoulders a second thought...I'm far more concerned about how I'm going to keep my almost 2 year old entertained for the entire ceremony .

[bimbi284]

Definitely outdated! My family is Catholic and my H's family is SUPER Catholic (lots of aunts and great aunts that are nuns), and this was definitely not the case at our wedding or any other Catholic wedding I have ever been to.

[ChiKate]

Another vote for it being outdated. I wore a strapless dress in my Catholic wedding. I've seen and/or worn many strapless or sleeveless dresses as either a bridesmaid or guest.

I'm in Chicago and a lot of churches don't have AC so you often see female church goers in tanks/sleeveless dresses on a regular Sunday. However, the churches that do have AC are freezing so I bring a sweater with me to those Masses but that's for comfort, not a rule.

[narockshard]

That's awesome to see all these "super Catholics" on here I guess you'd consider me one of them too (and my sister in law is a nun, so awesome!). But I did end up wearing strapless too at our very traditional Catholic wedding. The priest just made the point that it shouldn't be low or anything were somebody could look down the dress. Going to regular Mass I probably wouldn't wear anything strapless out of respect (like strapless maxis or shirts), but if you're in fancy wedding attire I think that would be fine.

[jamlsull]

I've been to many catholic weddings & never worried about this as a guest.

[runforrest]

I think I'm the lone dissenter here - I got married in a Catholic Church in Detroit and we all had to cover our shoulders (me and the bridesmaids).

I also always bring a blazer/pashmina/cardigan when I attend a wedding in a Catholic Church, even if it isn't a spoken rule....for me it's just how I was raised/respect...but I should add that I come from a very strict Catholic family.

[binichic]

I had my wedding in a Catholic church. I had a strapless gown, so my shoulders were bare. THere was no issue.