Monday, May 19, 2003

Here comes ... the bridesman?

This summer, as Americans walk down the aisle, wedding-goers will be seeing more men in the bride's party and women in the groom's party, according to experts. "It's absolutely becoming more popular," said Elizabeth Howell of the Emily Post Institute, an etiquette organization formed in 1946 by the famous civility expert. And Howell doesn't see any problem with the gender-bending trend that strays from tradition.

So what are the rules for these Friends-era weddings? Do “bridesmen” wear hot pink suits if the bridesmaids’ dresses are that color? Do “groomswomen” wear tuxedos?

And then there's the question of what opposite-sex attendants should be called. Howell prefers "honor attendant" for both genders to terms like bridesman, best woman or man of honor. But Olivia Johnson of upstate New York, was recently asked to be her friend Ian's "best man." ... "We were drunk when he asked me to be his best man," said the 26-year-old. "But I hope that's what I'll be called."

But it's exactly this humorous element that bothers Dr. William Donohue, president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights: "A marriage ceremony is a serious statement, not Saturday Night Live," he said. "I think it's incredibly immature to bring politically correct politics into a church."

No comments: