Pink Wedding Days | Gay Marriage and Civil Partnerships Blog

According to Irish legend, it was St Brigid of Kildare who, in the fifth century, asked St Patrick to let women propose to men.   After some discussion, a deal was struck: a woman could ask a man, but only on February 29th.  Some versions say that when St Patrick agreed to this, St Brigid dropped to one knee and proposed, but St Patrick  refused . To soften the rejection he kissed her on the cheek and gave her a silk gown. (Is it just us or does this sound like a lucky escape!) Other European traditions dictate that if a man refuses, he must buy the woman  12 pairs of gloves so that she can hide her bare finger.  In Scottish tradition , women would wear red petticoats so that the man might have some warning of their intentions.  Of course now , women are free to propose whenever they choose , but there's a nice novelty to the idea.  It's certainly something a lesbian couple might incorporate into a proposal....

Bridebook's survey of 5,000 UK brides has uncovered some interesting information about wedding planning over the past year.  Here are some of the best bits: The average bride spent 970 hours planning her wedding. 64% were stressed about going over budget, and 1 in 5 did go over. Only 5% paid for a wedding planner to help 10% admitted to using their work's office postal system to mail out invites. 76% of couples took a wedding selfie, and there was a 50% increase in the use of exclusive hashtags #Unsurprising? 53% of London couples said they’d have sold a family member to pay for the wedding. 41% of brides in the Midlands would ban their parents from helping to plan the wedding. Valentine’s Day was the one day that most brides want to be proposed on. 56% of couples had a disagreement over guest lists 21% felt let down by a supplier and 18% felt overcharged. The survey was carried out by Bridebook. Brideboo...

Digital Pride is coming in April 2016: The first online, global Pride festival. Pride should be for everyone everywhere , but often it can't be. In many parts of the world it isn't legal or socially acceptable to be gay.  That's why when Gay Star News contacted us about Digital Pride , we knew we had to tell you guys about it.  Here's what Gay Star News has to say about Digital Pride:  Everything a Pride should be for everyone in the world. The LGBTI Pride movement is going fully online for the first time with a new global event – Digital Pride . Created by Gay Star News , the Digital Pride festival will start on 25 April with the main Pride day on 30 April . It will be the first Pride anyone, anywhere in the world can join in – all they need is a smartphone, computer or tablet. You will be invited to join live-streamed video discussions on topics ranging from identity and isolation to international LGBTI rights. Hel...

The Italian Senate has postponed its debate on same-sex unions because of concerns over adoption rights. The delay is likely to last until at least February 23 rd . Opposition to the civil union bill seems focused on provisions for adoption. Opponents are concerned it could encourage surrogacy , which is illegal in Italy. And this worry does seem reflected amongst the Italian population where support for same-sex unions is high , but support for same-sex adoption is low . In 2015, Italy was criticised by the European Court of Human Rights for failing to offer any kind of legal provision to same-sex couples. 

Two fantastic venues are hosting their wedding fayres on Sunday February 28th – The  Leeds Club and Royal Holloway .  First up, The  Leeds Club in, well, Leeds  is hosting a wedding fayre as part of ‘The Big Day Leeds’. Guests will be able to explore the venue and chat with the experienced in-house wedding team .  They’ll be homemade cakes, fizz and copies of the venue’s 2016/17 wedding brochure available, too.  The Leeds Club is a Victorian building with a modern twist, and we think you’ll absolutely love it. One of the big selling points for prospective couples is the exclusive use of the venue on the wedding day.  You can reserve your space for the 28 th , by following this link and emailing Molly .  The event is open from  11am  to  3pm . The Founder's Building, Royal Holloway, Surrey. We have some impressive venues listed in our directory, but The Founder’s Building at Roy...

Gay Star News has very kindly sent us an exclusive video to share with our readers.   Marriage equality in Europe is still an ongoing process, but this video is a positive reminder of how far LGBTI rights have progressed in the last few decades. Here's hoping that this video gets longer every year.  You can watch the video below, or catch it over on Gay Star News. Let us know what you think!

On Thursday February 18 th , the East Sussex National Hotel in Uckfield is hosting a wedding open evening between 6 and 8pm. This is the perfect opportunity to see the venue dressed for the occasion, and to speak to their experienced and friendly team.  This really is the resort that has everything: two championship golf courses, a health club and spa all sent in 1100 acres of countryside.  One of the big selling points to this venue is the  flexible approach to wedding planning . Whatever your budget, ceremony or guest list, the staff at East Sussex National will help to create your perfect day.  We'd recommend viewing some of their packages on the website .  You can view their online wedding brochure here Details of how to easily RSVP are here  As always, we'd highly recommend you take the time to view the venue. We'd love to hear your impressions, too. You can drop us a line either in the comment box or on our Facebook ...

We’ve covered a lot of country wedding venues recently, so it’s nice to kick off the virtual wellies and get stuck into a city venue. And if you're looking for venues and wedding fayres in Edinburgh , then we've one that we think you'll absolutely love.  The George Hotel, Edinburgh , is hosting its wedding open day on Sunday February 21st , and you're all invited.  The location is perfect: 5 minutes from Edinburgh’s Waverley Train Station and within walking distance of all city centre attractions.  But don’t think there won’t be glorious photo opportunities just because you’re in the thick of the city. The George boasts a beautiful panorama as well as an outdoor terrace, and the venue has access to the Queen Street Gardens which are a two-minute walk away.  Weddings and civil partnerships held here will also benefit from the expertise of experienced wedding planners and conscientious, knowledgeable and courteous staff. Int...

We’d like to wish everyone who visits our blog a very happy Valentine’s weekend . If we could, we’d shower you all in chocolates, roses and  bubble bath (probably not all at once, though). Let us know what you’re planning this weekend (even if it’s just eating ice cream straight from the tub). As we'll be living  vicariously  through you.  As usual, you know where to find us:  Twitter  and Facebook . Got engaged this weekend? Give yourself a head start by checking out our wedding directory .  xxx

Heterosexual couples will not be offered civil partnerships , after a High Court challenge was dismissed. It had been argued that  the Human Rights Act 1998 makes it illegal to discriminate on the basis of gender .  The Civil Partnership Act of 2004 requires that couples must be the same sex .   But the judge ruled that opposite-sex couples are not discriminated against . Legal equality, she said, is already available to them through marriage.   It looks likely, too, that the Government will consider phasing out civil partnerships altogether . Thereby making any changes to the law now both unnecessary and expensive. There are an estimated 3 million cohabiting couples in the UK, many of whom might welcome the option of a civil union . Marriage, as an instrument of the state, does have something of an awkward history, especially for women, and it isn’t everyone who wants that association tied into their relationship.  The UK is in a unique...

Askham Hall , near Penrith, Cumbria, is an outstanding country venue set in  acres of beautiful gardens .  What really impresses us about this venue is that it has all the character you'd expect from a Grade 1 listed property but without being overly  ostentatious: there's a warm, friendly and welcoming atmosphere throughout the ceremony and venue space.  Your wedding day is in very good hands. The addition of Bank Barn for weddings is a masterstroke: a carefully considered space that's available for couples to decorate as they see fit.  Ordinarily, the venue is only available for one wedding a week, giving the couple enough time to set up the venue to their vision.  If you're looking for venues in the area ( you really should, it's a stunning area) then we'd recommend you stop by Askham Hall's Wedding Fayre on Sunday April 24th between 12pm and 4. They also have a new wedding brochure available which you can find here.   ...

Well, would you look at that! We’d like to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone who took the time to vote for us. We're only a small blog, but equal marriage is something we're very proud to be associated with. And to be shortlisted for the UK Blog Awards is both humbling and exciting!  Susan is hoping to make the ceremony in London in April, so we'll keep everyone updated on how we get on. 

Younger Anglicans are more likely to support same-sex marriage than oppose it, that’s according to the latest YouGov survey. Of the 1,500 Anglicans asked, 45% said they were in favour of equal marriage, with 37% opposed . It's the first time that the survey has found more for than against.  Anglican men over the age of 55 were found to be the demographic least likely to support gay marriage . It’s worth pointing out that the Anglican leadership is made up almost exclusively of men over 55 . For now, the Church of England maintains that marriage can only be between a man and woman.   Military Chapels may be required to host same-sex weddings.   Second Anglican Priest Marries Same-Sex Partner   If We're a Gay Couple Can We Have a Religious Ceremony?