Planning
Brighton-based wedding planner
Emily Charlotte
gives PWM readers an insight into planning the
perfect contemporary wedding…
Breaking tradition
2015 HAS BEEN A GREAT YEAR FOR GAY MARRIAGE
,
with same-sexweddings becoming legal in Ireland and in the
USA. However, many same-sex couples are still choosing not
to follow tradition. So what makes a gay wedding special?
There are definitely fewer traditions associated with
same-sex weddings (a positive of legal gay marriage being
a relatively new concept), which means there is more
opportunity to be creative and have a unique wedding that
reflects your personalities.
A gay couple can absolutely have a traditional wedding
if they wish, but there are a factors to consider; for example,
a speech from the father of the bride is a well known
wedding formality, but with gay marriages you either have
two brides or, of course, no brides! So does that mean you
have two speeches? Or no speeches? It’s entirely up to you
– perhaps you’ll have your friends do a joint speech instead?
Whatever your preferences, there is no pressure to conform
to social norms.
As with any wedding, whether you
choose to have a formal affair or the party
of the year depends entirely on the
couple’s wishes. I think gay weddings can
be really intimate. Every relationship has
a story leading up to the wedding day and
for gay couples in particular this hasn’t
always been an easy one, so it’s lovely that
close friends and family, who mean so
much to the couple, can come together to
celebrate their relationship – whether
that’s in a formal or a relaxed setting.
I’d have to say that Sussex is a good
place to plan a gay wedding – there’s so
much variety on offer! I’m based in the
heart of the South Downs, a perfect
setting for a gorgeous wedding in the
country, but just 20 minutes away is
Brighton – a really vibrant and cosmo-
politan city that is no stranger to the gay
community. Also, there are some quirky
and unique venues to be found – and of
course, there are numerous gay friendly
suppliers in the area.
For any wedding, there are certain things that all couples
need to do to get the most out of their day:
HAVE FUN
– you may well have been waiting a long time to
get married, so whether you would like a low key affair or
a large celebration, enjoy the run up to the big day.
BE YOU
– don’t feel like you have to conform to wedding
traditions or formalities if they just aren’t you. Your
wedding should reflect your personalities, so include little
personal touches that are meaningful to the two of you.
HIRE A WEDDING PLANNER
– planning your wedding can
be a daunting process, so hire a planner to take away the
stress and leave you with the exciting parts of planning
your day.
Be you... Your wedding should
reflect your personalities, so
include little personal touches that
aremeaningful to the two of you.
pink weddings magazine » 63
