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pink weddings magazine » 9
COveR sTORy
Westminster currently and historically register the
most civil partnerships in the country – though it can be
a close run thing with Brighton. We helped lead the way
at 8am on 21 December 2005 at the Old Marylebone
Town Hall, when Roger Lockyer and Percy Steven were
among the first couples to tie the knot after 40 years
together. We had 20 civil partnerships that first day, the
most in the country.
To be able to marry on 29 March, couples must book
their notice of intention on 13 March to meet the 16-day
legal requirement under England andWales marriage
laws. Notice of intention ties you to the person and the
place of marriage, so couples must have booked their
wedding venue or register office, because you can’t
change it afterwards. You don’t have to get married in
your local borough – you have the choice of any licensed
building throughout England or Wales. In this country
you can’t do it in a poppy field and certainly not in a
marquee on Albert Square!
If you want to have a religious marriage it is up to
the individual establishment. Trustees or proprietors of
religious buildings may wish to opt in to same-sex
marriages, provided they have the consent of their
governing body. To our knowledge, few of them have
done so to date. However, you may be able to have a
blessing instead, in a church or other religious building
where one of you regularly worships.
Once the necessary legal requirements are
complete you can start thinking seriously about the fun
stuff – the day itself. I think a lot of couples put
unnecessary pressure on themselves to have a big
wedding with all the trimmings. A wedding can be as
simple and easy or as complicated – and expensive – as
you want. It’s easy to forget that it’s your wedding and
get caught up in pleasing others and meeting the
expectations and demands of family and friends.
Sometimes less is more!
Civil partnerships will still be available to same-sex
couples but they are not being opened up to opposite
sex couples. This is in contrast with other countries – in
France, for example, all couples can have a civil
partnership. Some same-sex couples, despite being
offered the choice, have still elected to have a civil
partnership, which is perhaps surprising.
During the ceremony there are two sentences that
you repeat after the registrar – these are the legal words
‘Westminster currently and
historically register the most civil
partnerships in the country...’