Pink Wedding Days | Gay Marriage and Civil Partnerships Blog

Hello, guys. Just stopping by to remind everyone that the Pink Wedding Days'  office is now closed until Wednesday September 3rd and that means the social media department is, too. Now, I know that many of you won't take this news well but stay strong - we'll be back ;p If you need to get in contact with us, then feel free to use the contact form on this page, but try the Facebook and Twitter pages first as they will be monitored regularly. If you're a venue that advertises with us, then please use the contact form on the Pink Wedding Days website which you can find here . Alternatively, you can leave us a message on  0121 277 4710  Have a good week :)

Planning a wedding can feel like you're paying for the privilege of a nervous breakdown. The engagement might have been all smiles, champagne flutes and cake stands, but the wedding will be an entirely different beast. Think Godzilla meets Cthulhu. Over the last few months, we've written posts about planning, paying for and preparing for the big day. We've focused on the big stuff: the flowers , the morning of , the venues , celebrants , religious ceremonies and the honeymoon  but what about the smaller stuff? What about the little things that could make your life easier? Well, we've searched the internet to find some useful tips that might be overlooked in other lists. Here is our pick of the - somewhat random - smaller planning hacks. Create a Wedding Email Account This will make communicating with venues and vendors a lot easier than using a personal account. It'll also be easier to keep track of replies, messages and invoices amid the Groupon offe...

Earlier this year, Northern Cyprus became the last territory in Europe to decriminalise homosexuality; making Europe an ideal destination for celebrating sexuality and gender without fear of persecution. Of course, homophobia still exists but (importantly) it no longer exists with state sanction. Europe might be considered safe to visit, but it’s important to stay abreast of up-to-date travel information. The FCO website provides UK citizens with all the latest information and travel advice as well as precautionary measures for areas where special discretion is advised. Of course, you don’t need to go abroad to have a fantastic pride experience, and we’ve already posted here about UK events. But isn’t it a fabulous excuse for a trip to the continent? Pride can mean many things to many people. For some, it’s a political rall y: an opportunity to consolidate social and legal victories. For others, it’s a time for solidarity with LGBT communities in areas where discrimi...

Today, we're handing the blog over to The Manor By The Lake, Cheltenham Spa, and this outstanding venue really does have to be seen to be believed. They know their stuff about weddings, too, and we're fortunate enough to benefit from that experience with  10 Things You Need On Your Wedding Morning. The morning of your wedding can be super stressful so ensure that you are ready beforehand and fully prepared for anything that might come your way. Below is a quick list: 1. Breakfast Start the day off right and have a light healthy breakfast, it's important that you don’t skip any meals. You don’t want to feel faint or light headed! 2. Timings Make sure everyone knows timings of things throughout the day – especially anyone coming to do your hair or make-up! The wedding party has to be ready in time – only you can be a little late – on purpose! 3. Emergency Survival Kit  Be prepared for an outfit or beauty related problem! Have an emergency kit which include...

If you've been following us on Twitter recently, then you may have noticed that we've been highlighting a few of the venues from our directory . 142 characters however, can't do these hotels justice, so we thought that we'd feature them on here, too. We've written before about the vital role of a venue in a wedding. More than just a space with four walls and a roof,  it adds a real sense of occasion to a ceremony and whether you want awe-infectious detail or simple, intimate elegance, a venue can amplify that perfect atmosphere we all want when say, I do. We're fortunate enough to feature 7 hotels from the Principle Hayley Group , and we think you'll agree that their venues are superb examples of elegance, charm and splendor. And even better, they're eagerly waiting to host your wedding or civil partnership. All the hotel information below is taken from Pink Wedding Days , and all the descriptions are in the venues' own words. If you click the...

Last month, the Government announced that from December 2014 couples in a civil partnership can convert to marriage for free. Provided that the civil ceremony took place before same-sex marriage became legal in the UK (March 31st 2014). The process is likely to be straightforward. However, there has been concern that there will be "no heart " to the conversions. You can read the full Guardian article here. So, if you're planning to convert your civil partnership, then is there a way to celebrate? Is there a way of making a romantic occasion of it with more atmosphere than, as  Livesey-van Dorst argues, renewing your tax disc? What Can You Do? One option is to throw a party for family and friends . This probably shouldn't be sold as a wedding reception, because if friends and family have already given you gifts, then you shouldn't assume or ask that they'll do it all over again. Of course, that's between you and your conscience, but a simple me...