Bride and Groom wearing masks!?

Honestly, I would not be okay with this. I would see if you both could not wear masks? Plus what about pictures?

View Quoted Comment Exactly! And the Catholic Church is strict on it must be inside the church and any other form of marriage it’s really valid.

I would say if you really need a catholic mass wedding, you might have to wear a mask to satisfy the priest. I know it seems silly, but given the current state of affairs and people being asymptomatic they're just being cautious. There are cute bride/groom masks I found on Etsy! My compromise would be to wear the mask during the ceremony, then see if you can take them off for pictures outside, possibly near their rectory? It sucks, but unfortunately that is our current state of the land.

Unfortunately, they can make whatever rules they want. Given the world we are living in, it really isn't a surprise that they are enforcing this. I think your only options are to find a different church, deal with wearing the masks, or postpone. I'm so sorry this is happening.

I agree with you that it isn't ideal, but honestly it's just a mask. It's not going to ruin the day, and it'll be something you look back and laugh at later on. It's a sign of the times and it's really just a mask.

If you would like your new spouse and your few dearest family all to be healthy for the next month, and more likely to not have multiple people hospitalized, or several guests get their whole family sick in the upcoming weeks from something the each picked up from a seemingly healthy guest at your wedding, do wear masks. If you really don't give a hoot about anybody else, don't wear masks. And your pastor should feel free to stand 20 feet away, or not marry you . How will you feel if you are carrying it, and get sick in three days, and recover fine in 2 weeks. But someone who caught it, your Dad and mom and brother and wife catch it from you and are sick 10 days later. Mom and Dad recover after 20 days in the hospital. Their insurance pays 80% of the $196,000 bill . Intensive care is expensive. They are on the hook for $39,000. Oh, but seeing you unmasked at the altar was so, so worth it. ... Treat it like a fancy accessory. Have some pics taken with no one else around, and the photographer at a distance, unmasked. And wear any of several gorgeous masks the rest of the time. Have them custom made. ... Did you know that some brides now wear/ always have worn, fine netting veils that cover their faces and down to chest or elbow length? To weddings? Really, it is true.

better this veil ,
than a widow's veil.
Seriously, A fine denier netting veil, fairly tight weave not lace, if it covers well on down the chest, is like a mask made of cotton of the same number of threads per inch. I generations past, from middle ages on in much of Europe, Christian and non religious women commonly wore veils, even carrying a babe in arms under it, when in any group of people, marketplace, or out for a stroll, in times of airborne or flea and mosquito borne diseases. And, cough and cold season. People associate them now with the Muslim faith, or people living where there is blowing sand in the air, and serious sunburns are common. There used to be more need of this, before medicines or vaccines. Think of men in tropical hats with veils, for the same reason. And cowboys with bandanas over mouth and neck. If you do not like masks over just mouth and nose, consider something else.

Thank you all for the helpful ideas!! We will make it work, I just needed to hear from others!

I would just do it too. i mean it completely sucks, i know. but at the end of the day once you're outside taking your professional photos or whatever you could have the masks off. but since you are inside with people and the venue needs you to do that, you don't have many choices. as pp mentioned you could find some really cute masks on etsy now.

Masks it is... Seriously. Remember this is one day. Then go outside and have photos shot of you two - without masks - with a zoom lens. This is absolutely doable. Promise!!

Gosh, I'm so sorry to hear that, that would be a deal breaker for me but it's not surprising given it's a catholic church, it might be really tight on restrictions. Is there any room for negotiation? I would just try to explain to whoever is in charge that you really don't want to remember this day being masked like you are in a surgical room 😢 I like your idea of making everyone take a Covid test before or check temperatures just anything but wear a mask!! If not, I would try and find another venue that will be reasonable. What bride is going to walk down the aisle in a mask, that's just pushing it too far in my opinion.

View Quoted Comment Actually, for all people may have thought I was kidding above, several medical practices in our area have taken calls, clergy, couples, MOB, asking if fine veiling, not lifted during the ceremony, is as effective a barrier as a cloth mask. As a nurse and PT, I would defer to an infection control person officially. But if those wearing something open and lacy, added a sheer high thread count layer, or bought one to begin with, it would present a barrier to bride's exhaled germs and droplets reaching others. And theirs reaching her. Small weddings have been going on around here with the groom in a facemask, and brides who may not have intended a veil, wearing a fine weave bottom veil, crown of head to elbows or lower, acceptable to JP's and clergy, themselves wearing masks. Aside from the legends about veils and co ering faces in some European countries, the reason people used to wear them, and wealthy people put them on going out hats in many places, was infection control, and insect or sun blocking. You see it in old period films, and exhibits in textile and costume museums, for that reason. The hat with two slits in the side, so a fine scarf was drap, pulled through slots by ears, and erapped at neck or tied . They scarf would be pulled down over the top front of the hat, sometimes back, and in position when sitting in a coach or carriage where other horse drawn vehicles were kicking up filth and horse urine and excrement, fine disease carrying dust and moisture. And coachmen and some men would pull up a neck scarf, and women of the upper classes pulled down the fine veiling or sheer see through scarf. As opposed to the poorer folk walking by the roadside, who used bandanas.
If was a sign of upperclass status to wear the fine veiling or designer hats , and scarves, while coarse cloth was for commoners. So I don't think a lot of people would see a bride in a veil, finer weave than they may choose for a decorative outer lace layer, shear and kept over the face, as such a horror show. It can come of when separated from the crowd, for posed pictures. I think people should look at veiling as sheer cloth. If it is enough of a barrier, finely woven, is it such a bad compromise?

While it might not be ideal, wearing a mask doesn’t seem like a big deal to me. I feel like taking a covid test is a lot more invasive than wearing a mask.... plus depending on the test they can take 2 days to get results so you technically could get sick during that timeframe.
I would recommend if you really don’t want to wear a mask to postpone until a later time.

I would be fuming. as long as ur 6 feet apart from the rest of the guests theres no reason u should wear a mask ESPECIALLY because youre the bride and groom. thats insane.