By Devon Evans, Freelance Writer
These couples feed each other yesterday after they, along with eight others, participated in the Valentine's Day nude wedding and renewal of vows, at Hedonism III Hotel, Runaway Bay, St. Ann. - Rudolph Brown/Staff Photographer
RUNAWAY BAY:
THE SUPERCLUBS-MANAGED Hedonism III Hotel, Runaway Bay, St. Ann, was yesterday again the scene of a group nude wedding.
Eleven couples, one more than last year, said their Valentine's Day "I dos" amid cheers from onlookers. Two members of the group, a man and a woman, opted to keep on their underwear.
The colourful ceremony took place on the section of the hotel's property reserved for nudists.
The Valentine's Day wedding ceremony was a repeat of last year's much publicised nude wedding and was again conducted by the Rev. Frank Cervasio of the Church of Florida Naturist, which is an affiliate of the Universial Life Church.
Unlike last year when various church leaders voiced their opposition to the holding of nude weddings in Jamaica and which led to several street protests condemning what was deemed as an immoral act, this year's ceremony was low-key and without incident.
At 10.30, the Rev. Mr. Cervasio, bearded and dressed in floral shirt, white short pants with white sneakers and socks, called the ceremony to order with Noel Walker, resident saxophonist, delivering a splendid rendition of the popular wedding march, "Here Comes The Bride".
The ceremony lasted for about 10 minutes with four members of the hotel's entertainment staff, dressed in skimpy swim wear acting as witnesses, while a host of guests, mostly nude, watched the proceedings.
"Each of these two lives are joined in one unbroken circle," the Rev. Mr. Cervasio remarked, shortly before completing the ceremony.
Of the 11 couples, five were getting married for the first time and six were renewing wedding vows. All were Americans.
One couple, Buck and Chris Jackson from Alabama, were among the 10 couples who got married in last year's ceremony and they returned this year to renew those vows. "We met each other in the nude; we enjoyed each other in the nude and so we decided to get married in the nude," Mr. Jackson said.
Christine Smith, Hedonism III's wedding co-ordinator, described the weddings as "excellent, tasteful and elegant". She said it was simply a group of wonderful, ordinary people who did what they love to do. Both the hotel and Jamaica's tourist industry benefit from the bookings and the publicity gained. "It actually boosts our occupancy and we are happy for it," she said.
