Pink Wedding Days | Gay Marriage and Civil Partnerships Blog

We absolutely love Scotland : the stunning scenery, the friendly people, the history, culture and folklore; the food and the welcome. These are just a few of the things that make it an excellent choice for a wedding, civil partnership or honeymoon . If you’re lucky enough to be planning your nuptials in Scotland , then we have some superb venues for you to consider.  You can find out more information on the venues below by clicking through to their Pink Wedding Days page where you can contact them directly.  Do let us know what you think, and, if you like what you see, the don't be shy and drop them a message.  The Vue: Bathgate, West Lothian The George Hotel, Edinburgh Thainstone House, Aberdeenshire The Carlton Hotel, Edinburgh

The weather has turned gray again today, but it doesn't mean we can't think ahead to summer .  Summer, you beautiful bastard .  As we stare mournfully out of the office window we wanted some inspiration for things to come.  We wanted to see what you can buy now for a wedding in the warmer weather . But we're not being naive. We've included umbrellas.  We love the lighter, simpler wedding dresses of summer.  They're perfect for destination weddings as well as ceremonies here in the UK. Vintage is always a huge summer trend, and we're really smitten with this from Maggie May Bridal . Etsy is fantastic for vintage dresses. They don't have to cost a fortune, either. We recommend paying attention to the measurements before purchasing. Crop top dresses are one bridal trend that you'll either love or hate, and we love them. Of course, they're not for everyone, but they're a fa...

It’s a miracle! We have a good news LGBT religion story.  The Church of Scotland will allow ministers to continue serving in the Church even if they are in a gay marriage.  The Church's view of  marriage as being between a man and a woman has not changed, however, and  ministers will not be allowed to perform same-sex marriages.    It just means that a congregation can choose to appoint a married gay minister if they wish to. The Church of England , for example, has a ban on ministers entering into a same-sex marriage , so this is really good news. Ministers will still not be allowed to perform same-sex wedding ceremonies , however.  

The Seychelles has decriminalised homosexuality.  The country’s National Assembly voted 14 to 28 in favour of decriminalisation with half abstaining and 4 members absent. Homosexuality had been illegal in the Seychelles since 1955 and carried punishment of up to 14 years in prison.  Although, The Gay Times has reported that this was rarely acted upon. This is fantastic news both for the LGBT community in the Seychelles and for LGBT tourists. We're hopeful that this will be the first of many more inclusive laws to pay in the country.

Wedding planning shouldn’t be that hard.  It’s two people, two witnesses and a registrar getting together, saying a few words and signing a document. That’s it . You could do it in your  lunch break . You could do it wearing  pajamas  and slippers, and it would only set you back around £120. Everything else: the catering, the clothes, the DJ, the sweetie cart, the dove release, the cars, the flowers, the wedding breakfast, the hotel, the seating plans, the chair backs, the wedding favours, the rings, the photographer, the videographer, the toastmaster, the hog roast …that’s all you . Why do we do it to ourselves? Wedding planning shouldn’t be hard, but it is because we make it hard. And that’s fair enough. We all want that perfect celebration.  For once in our regular lives, we want to be princes and princesses – we want to start married life off with a heart-pounding bang. The problem is that it of...

We couldn’t resist sharing this with you. Surely, it was only a matter of time. Would you consider using a drone for your wedding photography? Let us know what you think.  DRONE YOU WANT ME BABY? -Drones specialist launches high-tech wedding proposal kit- -Wedding proposal package includes drone delivery and HD drone footage- Love birds hoping to sweep their partner off their feet with an alternative wedding proposal can now do so with a high-tech drone delivery package. Romantic tech-fans will now be able to propose to their other half via a professionally piloted drone, which delivers the engagement ring to a prearranged location on cue. The  Wedding Proposal Package  created by  DronesDirect.co.uk , the UK’s largest online drones e-tailer includes a second drone which is used to capture footage of the special occasion and the fiancé-to-be’s reaction. Those who want to ask the big question in a different way can organise t...

The Italian Parliament has voted in favour of same-sex civil unions.  Italy is the  last country in Western Europe to offer civil partnerships  to gay couples.  In 2015 it faced   criticism from the European Court of Human Rights  for a lack of LGBT inclusive laws. This latest law change is the result of three decades of campaigning by LGBT groups.  Italian Prime Minister, Matteo Renzi,  faced  intense opposition from the Roman Catholic Church , the far-right and even members of his  own party in getting the law through. Italy struggles to pass same-sex laws Italian Senate to Debate Same-Sex Unions Italian Senate Delays Debate on Same-Sex Unions Italian Senate Passes Same-Sex Unions Law Despite this, The Economist reported that the vote passed with 372 voting in favour, 51 against and 99 abstaining.   Civil unions will allow couples to: Apply for public housing together Ta...

Same-sex marriages could soon be allowed on Ministry of Defence bases. The Guardian reported that Defence Secretary, Penny Mordaunt, has announced a pilot project to “explore registering Ministry of Defence” sites for civil marriages and partnerships; this includes same-sex unions”.   There is concern that serving LGBT members in the armed services are not being fairly represented. The problem is: Military chapels are owned by the MoD. But the chaplains in the MoD chapels are put there by the Sending Churches.   A number of these Sending Churches are, however, exempt from performing same-sex marriages.  T he Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches, for example.  The pilot investigation is likely to recommend that MoD chapels are made available to  LGBT personnel  for civil partnerships and  marriages .  However, the Defence Secretary has already said that no religious organisation will be f...

We're gutted that we can't attend this. Susan, our blogger, once featured in World Film Locations: Liverpool , and met a number of staff members from Edge Hill University.  They're so passionate about film , and this is such a fantastic subject to explore.  If you're in the area and able to attend tomorrow night's premier, then we'd highly recommend you go.  Edge Hill University to host regional premiere of topical transgender film Edge Hill University will host the regional premiere screening of ground-breaking transgender film   Deconstructing Zoe   next Wednesday 11th May. The film follows transgender actor Zoe from boyhood in a small Malaysian town, to the West-end stage via the ‘trans’ scene of London. The film is an exploration of gender, race and sexuality, seen through Zoe’s eyes. The screening will include a questions and answer session with Zoe, the subject of the film, as well as an in discussion session with the ...