Pink Wedding Days | Gay Marriage and Civil Partnerships Blog

This lucky little bugger blogger is disappearing across the pond (via Oslo) for a couple of weeks, and so you might notice that we’ll be a little quieter than usual. There are still some posts scheduled, however, so it won't be a total ghost town.  I’m hoping to check into Facebook and Twitter while I’m away, but if you need any help then you can always use the contact form on the Pink Wedding Days website and one of the team will get back to you.

We're fortunate to have some really stunning venues in our directory, but one of the finest that we list has to be Highbullen Hotel in Devon , and we couldn't let their first Winter Wedding Fair pass by without letting you all know about it. Picking the perfect wedding or civil partnership venue shouldn't be stressful; it should be an enjoyable experience. After all, it's often the first piece in a very large planning puzzle, and you may as well start off as you mean to go on - drink and canapes in hand. In their own words... Highbullen Hotel warmly invite you to their first Winter Wedding Fair. Held in the romantic setting of our Palazzo , you will have the opportunity to meet local , wedding specialists and suppliers from wedding planners, florists, cake-markers, dressmakers, photographers and make-up artists, to classic cars and talented musicians. Enjoy live entertainment with an acoustic session by singer-songwriter, S...

We're really excited to be able to list The Roof Gardens, Kensington in the Pink Wedding Days Directory . This really is a truly unique venue right in the heart of the capital.  Central London might be at your feet and (quite literally) at the doorstep of this venue, but you'll be saying your vows  closer to the clouds  than the curb .  We couldn't think of a more magical venue to get married in this winter. In their own words... For those seeking something truly exceptional, The Roof Gardens in Kensington prides itself on being one of London’s most unique locations for wedding ceremonies and receptions. This winter a ‘Magical Winter Wedding’ offer will be available on Sundays from October 2015 to February 2016 . The ‘Magical Winter Wedding’ offer starts from £95 per person based on a minimum of 100 guests. It includes a choice of a three course meal plus a glass of sparkling wine for the all-important toast. The Roof Gardens ha...

Finding a thoughtful wedding gift for a couple that you’re close to is difficult. Our marriage and living habits have all changed enormously over the last few decades.  Gone are the days when a wedding gift registry was all microwaves and toasters.  Couples want cash.   Romantic? Not really but, in today's economy , understandable.  Isn't there just something a little vulgar and impersonal about giving cash though? It's almost the  antithesis of the romance we celebrate at a wedding . Okay, toasters and tea sets were never all that romantic, but they did symbolise the start of a new life together and that's just about as romantic as it gets.  So, it got us thinking: what would make for a personal and thoughtful wedding gift to give in addition to money or vouchers? Then we found The Book of the Dad . The Book of the Dad is an online store offering bespoke and beautifully hand typed quotes and messages that lend themsel...

Prosit Malta! Malta is now top of LGA-Europe's Rainbow Map of Gay Rights .  The Mediterranean country overtook both the United Kingdom and Belgium to rank top with 89% . The index is designed to show the percentage of positive and inclusive LGBTI laws a country has.  Unsurprisingly , the results highlight a  massive disparity across the continent.  Turkey, Russia and Azerbaijan all rank at the bottom with less than 10% each. Malta's rise up the rankings is impressive (in 2013, they only placed 18th), and is largely due to a series of changes to the country's laws including LGBTI anti-discrimination legislation passed in 2014.  The results are clear to see on the Rainbow Map : Malta has surpassed countries with longer, more publicised pro-LGBTI histories.  This should be a comfort to the LGBTI communities living elsewhere in the world. Reform in Malta was largely due to a single change of government. Malta do...

If you’re searching for a wedding venue in the Newcastle area, then be sure to pencil in a visit to the Caledonian Hotel in Jesmond . In fact, why not this weekend? They’re having a wedding open day on both Sunday October 4 th and Monday October 5 th .  This gives you the perfect opportunity to wander around the hotel and have a chat with both their wedding team and the local exhibitors .  We’d highly recommend viewing this venue , and they have some fantastic special offers for the winter wedding season . The Caledonian is only 1 mile from Newcastle City Centre with excellent transport links to the rest of the UK including Newcastle International Airport . You can find out more about the Caledonian Hotel,Newcastle by clicking here. You can also visit their website.  

Planning a wedding is hard .  It probably always has been, but there’s something about having a modern wedding that seems to be more, well , theatre than anything else. You’ve seen the YouTube clips of elaborate first dances , singing waiters forming flash mobs , and speeches rapped by bridesmaids . I remember when a wedding went something like this: a ceremony, a sit-down meal, a buffet and a dance to Dexys Midnight Runners  and all before the bar shut at 11. Times have changed . Perhaps guests do have higher expectations, or maybe couples just have higher hopes for their own day.  Whatever it is, a wedding that stands out is something we all aspire to have (and to attend). As if planning a wedding wasn’t difficult enough, now you’ve got to plan for “fun”, too.  Fortunately, we know someone who’ll be perfect for you big day.  If you’re in the South East of England , then you really need to hear about Neil Devlin Magic ....

Australia’s same-sex marriage debate looks set to rattle on for some time now. Sadly, 2015 will not be the year that gay marriage becomes legal down under .  There’s an election to get through first, but there’s hope . 2015 was, after all, the year in which the Republic of Ireland voted YES to gay marriage. And that victory came from a country that only legalised divorce in the mid-90s. Australia will legalise same-sex marriage; we absolutely genuinely believe that, but it just won’t be done right now . Our money says 2016 , but we’ll see. Here at Pink Wedding Days , we’re not exactly *ahem* high-brow, but we thought we’d pass this scholarly article onto our readers. Gordon Waitt has written a short article for Australian Geographer about the shortfalls on both sides of the Australian same-sex marriage debate. His suggestion seems to be that neither side is willing to consider a way beyond the institution of marriage , and ...

According to the country's Justice Minister, the first same-sex weddings could take place in Ireland by the end of 2015. The result of the referendum in May was a resounding YES , but delays in the Appeal's Court has already set the new legislation back by weeks.  This latest announcement , however, could be a sign that things are about to start moving, and It'll be a relief for those couples  waiting  to say 'I do'.   Once there's the go ahead, then couples will be able to register their notice for marriage ; the first marriages will be three months after that (the current notice period in the Republic of Ireland ).  As you can imagine, the window of opportunity for seeing same-sex weddings in 2015 gets smaller each day.  Getting legislation into law can often feel  glacial  at best. probably the only thing slower is the  evolution of  religious morality  but that's another story... The first marriages ...

Are you struggling to find your fairy tale venue in Oxfordshire? Well, we fancy ourselves as something of a fairy Godmother, so we just had to tell you about Heythrop Park Resort in Chipping Norton , Oxfordshire.  Image Owned by Heythrop Park Built in 1703 , this grade II listed mansion will certainly make a grand statement in any ceremony. Situated in 440 acres, it combines space, scenery and grandeur and can be hired exclusively for your event. Heythrop Park does, however, offer a reception room for smaller parties , too. They have a number of suites that you can choose from if you’re happier in a more intimate setting.  We’re confident that you’ll fall in love with Heythrop House the moment you step inside. Why not give them a call and arrange a viewing? If you’d like to find out more (or to view more venues), then visit the Pink Wedding Days website by clicking here . 

If you’re struggling to kick start your wedding plans, then what could be more inspiring than a personal consultation with celebrity wedding planner Mark Niemierko and a night at Brighton’s Hotel du Vin . Southbank Centre’s Big Wedding Weekend and The Gay Wedding Guide are offering one lucky couple the chance to do all of the above, and you can enter by clicking here.    Good luck!

Chances are that you’ve been to a wedding in the last twelve months. Statistics might suggest that marriage is on the decline, but it doesn’t always feel that way. Having just accepted invitations for  4 weddings in 2016, I’m highly dubious as to how much the declining figures apply to me.  And a lot of you probably feel the same. We’ve written before about the rising costs of getting married . We’ve written, too, about the rising cost of attending as a guest , but it’s worth revisiting the subject.  Credit expert Experian  have released the results of a survey that suggest couples are turning down invitations because they cannot afford to attend.  After all, couples pay  double the amount each. In the past we’ve lamented with our fellow singletons about sitting alone or not having a plus one, but there will be a greater cost involved when you attend a wedding as a couple; it’s especially true for same-sex couples ...