Pink Wedding Days | Gay Marriage and Civil Partnerships Blog

Fingers crossed that the weather stays absolutely blinkin’ gorgeous, because both Warwickshire and Sheffield have their Gay Prides this weekend. Warwickshire Pride is taking place in the lovely town of Leamington Spa with over 100 stalls, entertainment and food. Entry is free and EVERYONE is welcome. Sheffield Pride is Saturday, too. Daytime and evening entry is £3 (you don’t need to pay twice). There’s plenty to do including stalls, music, food and a family area. Musical performances go right into the evening, too. For those interested in staying up later there’s an after-party with Tina Cousins (ticket £6).

BREAKING NEWS! The US Supreme Court has ruled that the ban on gay marriage , imposed by a number of a US states is unconstitutional and, therefore, unlawful .  It means that same-sex marriage is now legal in all 50 US states. This is fantastic news! Congratulations to all the campaigners, advocates, couples and individuals who made it possible.  We'll be following this over the next seven days so make sure you're following us on Twitter and Facebook .

Ten years after Northern Ireland’s first civil partnership, Sharron Sickles  and her partner, Grainne Close , are going to court.  They’ll argue that under the European Human Rights Convention they should be allowed to marry .  Northern Ireland is the only country in the United Kingdom not to allow gay marriage.   Northern Ireland’s ban on gay marriage In 2005, Northern Ireland was the first country in the United Kingdom to hold a civil partnership. Since then, they’ve fallen somewhat behind. At present Northern Ireland has no plan – not even a vague one – to legalise gay marriage . Despite increasing support for equal marriage among the population, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) remains strictly opposed. They’ve blocked measures to introduce it some four times now. The latest, in April , came just a month before the Republic of Ireland took to the polls to vote yes . As the country’s dominant political party, the DUP’s refusal ...

The Pacific island of Pitcairn has just legalised same-sex marriage.  Yeah, you've probably never heard of Pitcairn .  We certainly hadn't.  Pitcairn is a British Overseas Territory about 1350 miles South-East of Tahiti and is one of the world's smallest inhabited islands.  It caught our eye because of its rather interesting history. Whilst you might not have heard of Pitcairn , you're probably familiar with its history because, i n 1790, Pitcairn was where nine of the mutineers  from HMS Bounty founded a settlement along with the ships Polynesian contingent.  You might also remember the 1984 film 'Bounty' starring Mel Gibson and Anthony Hopkins.  Today, the island's 48 inhabitants are all descended from those original settlers: 7th generation, in fact. That such a small and traditionally minded island community could be so open to equal marriage is a very pleasant surprise particularly when we see...

It’s another weekend and another opportunity to celebrate Pride! Saturday 27 th June  is the start of London Pride . Hailed as one of the UK's biggest events, London Pride is part protest, part parade and part, well, party... Trafalgar  Square is hosting the live music, and there'll be bars, stalls and eats too. The parade leaves  Baker Street at 1pm arriving in Whitehall for 4.30pm.  If you’re staying in the Capital on Saturday, then why not stick around because on Sunday,  UK Black Pride  are celebrating in South London. Taking place in Vauxhall Gardens , there’s a carnival theme to this year’s party and, even better, entry is free. For those of us in the middle, it's  Coventry Pride  on Saturday. This family-friendly event will have stalls, music and performances throughout the day. We couldn't find a working website, but if you click the link you can drop the organisers an email. Wherever you end up this weekend drop us a lin...

When a country does something as momentous as  – Oh,  I don’t know   –   overturning a ban on gay marriage then there’s usually some kind of fanfare: People parading in favour of gay marriage People protesting against gay marriage Parliamentary debates, amendments, press conferences... Religions piping up with warnings of an apocalypse… Generally speaking, we know that something is a foot.  This week Mexico overturned a ban on gay marriage with the legislative equivalent of a shrug. The court has ruled that the definition of marriage – as being between a man and a woman – is unconstitutional. With marriage no longer being a necessary predicate to procreation, it’s easy to see why a ban can be considered discriminatory. If a man and a woman can get married when neither want children, then the same has to be true for gay couples , too.  In recent years, certain  Mexican courts have been granting injunctions so t...

We’ve taken to the blog today to let you know about a great wedding band in the Bury area that we're really excited about.  Groovy Ape Events Band is a group of professional musicians with some serious musical talent; these guys are absolutely fantastic. T here's just something about a live band that really makes for an amazing atmosphere.  You don't have to worry about having an empty dance floor, because  Groovy Ape will have everyone up (including Aunt Flo who insists they don’t make them like they used to).   They have a wide range of songs , too, from the 1960s up to the present day, and they’re happy to take first song requests – so there’s no need to keep running to and from the docking station! If you’re in the Bury area and you’re looking for a wedding DJ, then give these guys a call first. If you’re looking for a wedding band then congratulations! You’ve already found them. If you'd like to find out more about Groovy Ape Events Ba...

If you don’t have a wedding to attend this weekend, then why not head to a gay   pride event happening near you. We're now well into the UK pride season, so there's sure to be something close by over the coming weeks and months.  Be sure to keep checking back here, too, because we'll be listing the major celebrations and parades taking place across the country.  Pride isn't just for gay people. Pride is for everyone who wants to celebrate diversity, unity and community. Sexuality and gender identity will always be at the heart of gay   pride , but so, too, are the political and social issues that effect not just the LGBT population but all of us.  Let's not forget either, that pride is a fantastic opportunity to have a party, make new friends and enjoy the British summer.  This weekend it's Portsmouth , Suffolk , Cumbria and York pride . You can find out more by clicking the links above.  If you do head down, then we'd...

St Michael’s Manor Hotel in St Albans is holding a wedding fair on June 23 rd 2015, between 17.30 and 21.30.  Couples are invited to explore the grounds (which include a lake) visit the 25 exhibitors and watch the catwalk show for the latest wedding gown designs. Entry to the wedding fair and parking are both free, so there's really no excuse not to pop along to see a venue that's been described as “probably the most romantic venue for weddings in and around Hertfordshire”. We’re very proud to list St Michael’s Manor Hotel in our directory, and we don’t think you’ll be disappointed with the surroundings, the service or the wedding packages on offer. If you do visit, then we'd love to hear how you got on.  If you'd like to find out more about choosing St Michael's Manor Hotel for your wedding or civil partnership, then follow the link.  St Michael's Manor Hotel, St Albans.  (Taken from The Pink Wedding Days Website)  Set i...

Gay marriage has come a long way in recent years. Now legal in twenty countries and 32 US states, same-sex weddings are fast becoming the new normal. For gay and lesbian couples, it doesn’t just mean the opportunity for a ceremony or a certificate; it means acceptance. It means living, working and raising children in countries where the right to love and the right to be loved is inclusive rather than exclusive.  Of course, nowhere is perfect. No place is entirely without discrimination or bigotry, but it’s hard not to be encouraged by the increasing number of countries where gay marriage is legal .  In 2000, it was The Netherlands that first legalised gay marriage , and they did this by changing just a single line of text in the wording of their civil marriage law.   Belgium legalised gay marriage in 2003, and, in 2006, it passed a law allowing gay couples to legally adopt children, too. Canada legalised gay marriage in 2005.   ...

Following on from the post What if it rains on my wedding day? We thought it would be a good opportunity to talk about wedding insurance .  Okay, so it isn’t the most glamorous   of topics, but it’s probably one of the more necessary conversations you’ll have with your partner in the early stages of planning a wedding. At least, you should be talking about it. Financial protection makes a whole lot of sense when you're investing thousands of pounds into a single day. Weddings are expensive and often planned many months, if not years, in advance.   Most of us wouldn’t think twice about having car insurance, house insurance or travel insurance, but there’s something about wedding insurance that seems to warrant easy dismissal.   Let's not forget that life has a tendency, at times, to go a little sideways , and your wedding day will not be magically protected from this just because it's YOUR day.  What would you do if: The venue you...