TIME was when people got married and it was only the couple or their families and friends who were involved in the preparations for the big event.

Not anymore.

With the Cebu Archdiocese’s new guidelines for church weddings, wedding planners may find their job easier and ceremonies may cost less for couples.

“Unnecessary parts” of the wedding ceremony prompted archdiocese officials to come up with new guidelines for the sacrament of marriage.

CEBU, Philippines—If this judge is right, some couples are paying illegal “fixers” in court P1,500 to P6,000 to arrange a civil wedding, with much higher rates if a foreigner wants to get married.

The revelation was made yesterday by Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCC) Judge Donato Navarro of Branch 6 who said the "marriage coordination scam" was taking place in Cebu City.