Pink Wedding Days | Gay Marriage and Civil Partnerships Blog

The Court of Appeal in Belfast has ruled that humanist celebrants must be registered by the state as able to perform legal marriages for couples. The ruling is a victory for Laura Lacole, a model and public speaker, and Eunan O’Kane, a Leeds United and Republic of Ireland midfielder, who have been campaigning for legal recognition of humanist marriages in Northern Ireland for the last two years. Laura and Eunan have been supported in bringing their claim by Humanists UK and its section Northern Ireland Humanists. Laura Lacole commented,  ‘Eunan and I are delighted that other couples should now be able to have legal recognition for their humanist marriages, just as we had for ours. In taking our case we simply sought for couples to be able to get married in a form that reflects their deepest-held beliefs and values, something already available to religious couples but not to humanists. We couldn’t continue allowing the law to give special privilege to religious b

View the original interactive map of Pride events in London 2018 Events have been taking place across the city over the last few weeks but it all comes to a head on July 7 th with the Pride in London Parade. It’s thirsty work celebrating the capital’s diverse LGBTQ community, so we’re really excited to see an interactive map showing where all the LGBTQ+ bars and clubs are located.   Pride is an ideal opportunity not only to find new watering holes but to raise a glass with like-minded people in safe and enjoyable environments.  Pubs, clubs and bars have been central to the gay rights movement so even if you don’t fancy facing the crowds on parade day, you can still show your support and enjoy the fab atmosphere.  The Pride in London Parade concludes a month’s long programme of events and takes place on Saturday July 7 th from midday ; it promises to be as colourful and as loud as ever with this year’s theme “Pride Matters” . Staying hydrated matters, too, so whethe

There are wedding venues and then there’s Lords of the Manor in the Cotswolds.  This 17th-century country house is set in 8 gorgeous acres of gardens and the grounds have a private lake. Beyond the house is the picturesque Cotswold countryside ensuring that your wedding is secluded, private and intimate no matter the number of invited guests.   Additionally, the venue can offer exclusive use. Lords of the Manor has three ceremony and reception venue spaces to choose from with the additional option of a marquee.  The venue offers a range of packages but it is also eager to cater for couples wishing for a bespoke approach to their big day. We have to say that we love the sound of the picnic wedding breakfast. Imagine sitting on blankets with your guests whilst enjoying the excellent food with drinks flowing, good conversation and making memories to the sound of babbling water and birdsong. It's a real treat for everyone.  BUT ultimately whatever season you ch

Easthampstead Park Conference Centre in Wokingham, Berkshire, is a wedding venue offering more than most.  A Grade II listed Victorian country mansion , it sits in 60 acres of glorious parkland offering one hell of an entrance for both the happy couple and their guests: a half-mile long tree-lined driveway.  Easthampstead caters for between 40 and 110 guests and offers the choice of an indoor or outdoor wedding ceremony . Naturally, the venue is prepared for the changeable British weather, so there’s no need to pack umbrellas as a ceremony room inside will be prepared just in case.  All of Easthampstead’s main wedding packages include room hire, an arrival drink with a three-course meal including coffee. There's wedding night accommodation for the happy couple, too.  Guests can take advantage of overnight accommodation and rates are very reasonable for such a charming location. You’ll be in good hands at the evening reception with a selection of choice

Craig Y Nos Castle sits midway between Swansea and Brecon and is the ideal rural retreat for your wedding ceremony and reception .  The building is stunning.  Once owned by a world-famous opera singer, Craig Y Nos Castle has historical charm by the bucket load.     Ceremonies take place in the gorgeous Grade 1 listed theatre with the wedding breakfast celebrated  in the conservatory  with splendid country views. The surrounding scenery of the Country Park and the Brecon Beacons is magnificent.  There aren’t many wedding venues with such a glorious backdrop, so by choosing Craig Y Nos , you'll really give your wedding photographer an easier time of it.  Guests can take advantage of the castle’s accommodation. There's certainly plenty to see and do in the local area for those looking to extend their stay beyond the evening reception.  We highly recommend visiting the Craig Y Nos website where you can explore photography of the venue and see the sam

Ettington Park in Stratford-Upon-Avon is just WOW .  It's a wedding venue that you're going to fall in love with time-and-time again.  Built from 6 types of Cotswold stone and sitting in 40 acres of gorgeous grounds , this Gothic mansion has everything you could wish for in a wedding venue.  Choose between The Library , The Norman Chapel , The South Room , The Bell Tower and The Orangery for your ceremony.  In the warmer months, you can even choose to hold your wedding outside . Couples have an excellent choice of reception rooms, too, and we’d highly recommend visiting the website and exploring the menu.  (You can take a 360-degree tour of some of the rooms) Offering a number of wedding packages, Ettington Park is committed to helping take some of the stress out of wedding planning, and at the time of writing, they have some fantastic offers available to tempt you.   These include a late availability package, exclusive use and the fairytale wedding packa

A prenuptial agreement is when a couple decides how to split their individual and mutual assets should the relationship  end after they’re married. If you're already married, you can sign a postnuptial agreement. If you're not married, you can sign a cohabitation agreement.  Marriage changes your rights . I t's important to understand that before you take your vows. Few people expect their relationship to break down but almost half of UK marriages end in divorce.   For cohabiting couples, separation without an agreement in place boils down to a division of assets based on who owns what. Simpler, perhaps, but unlikely to be sati sfactory to both parties if the relationship lasted many years.  Marriage changes things.   The law sees married couples more as combined units than two individuals.  It bestows on this 'unit' financial, familial and legal rights that should make being in that relationship easier.  It should make separation easie

Bermuda’s Supreme Court has reversed the island’s ban on same-sex marriage.  The Government has six weeks to decide whether or not to appeal the decision.   Is it just us or is this starting to look like one long tennis match? In May 2017, the Supreme Court ruled that a ban on gay marriage was unlawful and the island’s LGBTQ community celebrated a job well done. The issue appeared to have been settled despite opposition from more conservative quarters of the Government and public.  The first same-sex wedding took place on May 31 st   2017. But then in November that year, Bermuda's Government introduced a bill to replace equal marriage with domestic partnerships. Citing a lack of support for same-sex marriage, the Government announced that couples already married would be able to retain their married status.  Since the bill was passed in February 2018, however, gay couples are only able to apply for a domestic (civil) partnerships.  Bermuda had the dubious

Down Hall Country Hotel in Hertfordshire is a wedding venue providing historic charm in a stunning rural setting .  This Italianate mansion dates back to 1322 and is set in 122 acres of beautiful woodland offering a peaceful countryside location only 45 minutes away from London and Stansted Airport.   The Hall’s Bridgeman Suite offers space for up to 180 guests but smaller spaces are available for those wanting a more intimate ceremony and reception. With 99 bedrooms , the hotel is ideal for an overnight stay, allowing guests to enjoy the building, scenery and locality once the festivities are over.  This truly is a remarkable wedding venue and one that is very welcoming to LGBTQ couples and guests.  We’d recommend taking the opportunity to visit Down Hall to experience this for yourself. Here's what Down Hall have to say in their own words: "A historic Country House, nestled in the breathtaking beauty of the Hertfordshire/Essex countryside, providin