A bride who married at the Vatican said the church approved her gown and her bridesmaids’ dresses after a video of the wedding drew criticism online. She said commenters called the outfits inappropriate and questioned whether the wedding party was allowed to wear them.
She responded in a TikTok video she posted about a week after the ceremony. Posting as @emmasluchinski, she said, “If they were inappropriate, we would not have been allowed to wear them, full stop. All of our outfits were approved. Everything we wore was within the guidelines.”
The Bridesmaids Had Worn Custom Silk Dresses
According to the bride, a Vancouver designer made the bridesmaids’ dresses by hand. She described them as full-length silk dresses with an angled hem. She said the group chose ponchos to go over them “because we wanted kind of a unique bridesmaid dress.”
She Said the Ponchos Had Covered the Midriff
The bride said the ponchos covered the full midriff when the wind wasn’t blowing, so each outfit looked like a two-piece dress. She said the bridesmaids also wore nude tank tops underneath in case movement or wind exposed their sides.
“They’re covered from here down, and nothing is showing,” she said. “Everyone knew that in the church, and it was appropriate to wear.”
She also addressed the group’s background. “All the girls except for two grew up Catholic and went to Catholic school their whole life,” she said. “It’s not their first rodeo.”
She Explained What Had Happened With Her Wedding Dress
The bride said critics also asked how she could show her shoulders. “Obviously I wouldn’t have worn anything inappropriate. I’m not going to disrespect the church,” she said. She said she grew up in the church her whole life.
She said her dress originally had a higher neckline. In her telling, the gown slipped down, and she kept tripping on her train. “I think I stepped on it when I was getting ready,” she said, adding that a lot was happening at the time.
She said she kept her veil on throughout the ceremony to cover her shoulders. She said it looked more see-through in the video than it was. “I could barely see through it while walking,” she said. “It was a mess.”
A Wedding Planner Had Outlined Strict Vatican Dress Rules
No statement from the Vatican about this wedding was found. A guide to Vatican weddings published by Brenda Babcock Celebrations, a wedding planning company, states that the bride must have her shoulders, upper arms, back and knees covered.
The guide says a veil does not suffice and that any shawl used for coverage cannot be too sheer. The guide was not specific to this couple’s ceremony.
The Bride Had Asked Critics to Stop Insulting Her Bridesmaids
The bride said some commenters had compared the bridesmaids’ outfits to a fast-fashion brand. She said she found that unfair. “The bridesmaids looked beautiful, by the way,” she said. “I think everyone needs to stop insulting them, calling them Fashion Nova, whatever. I think it’s rude.”
She said. She closed by challenging those who kept criticising. “In the end of the day, the church approved it“.
She Said Commenters Had Questioned Her Faith
The bride said the clips went viral and drew “so many comments and speculation.” She said some viewers claimed the group was “American and we don’t care about our religion.” She said she made the video to address the dresses directly, starting with the bridesmaids’ outfits.
