UK Wedding News
19/08/2013
According to the BBC, the country's Department of Internal Affairs said 31 same-sex couples had been due to wed on Monday.
Earlier this year, in April, New Zealand's parliament passed a bill to change the country's 1955 marriage act.
Among those marrying were Auckland couple Tash Vitali and Melissa Ray, who won an all expenses paid ceremony in a radio competition, while Lynley Bendall and Ally Wanikau, exchanged vows almost 30,000 feet in the air on a special flight between Queenstown and Auckland. Their ceremony was attended by US actor Jesse Tyler Ferguson from the sitcom Modern Family.
In addition to residents in New Zealand, same-sex couples from other countries are also expected to wed in the country. According to the Australian Marriage Equality lobby group, around 1,000 couples in Australia plan to travel to marry.
New Zealand's MPs approved amendments to the marriage bill by a large majority in April this year, with 77 votes in favour and 44 against. The public gallery erupted broke into song after the announcement that the change had been passed, with a rendition of the traditional Maori love song, Pokarekare Ana. However, the legislation has been met with heavy criticism from religious groups and Christian lobby groups.
The law change has angered some religious leaders, with the Anglican Church asking its ministers not to conduct the weddings pending a report to its general synod next year. Catholic bishops have opposed the weddings outright while other denominations have been split.
New Zealand is the 14th region in the world to legalise gay marriage.
(JP/IT)
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NZ Hosts First Same-Sex Weddings
Dozens of same-sex couples have tied the knot today (19 August) after New Zealand became the first Asia-Pacific country to legalise gay marriage.According to the BBC, the country's Department of Internal Affairs said 31 same-sex couples had been due to wed on Monday.
Earlier this year, in April, New Zealand's parliament passed a bill to change the country's 1955 marriage act.
Among those marrying were Auckland couple Tash Vitali and Melissa Ray, who won an all expenses paid ceremony in a radio competition, while Lynley Bendall and Ally Wanikau, exchanged vows almost 30,000 feet in the air on a special flight between Queenstown and Auckland. Their ceremony was attended by US actor Jesse Tyler Ferguson from the sitcom Modern Family.
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In addition to residents in New Zealand, same-sex couples from other countries are also expected to wed in the country. According to the Australian Marriage Equality lobby group, around 1,000 couples in Australia plan to travel to marry.
New Zealand's MPs approved amendments to the marriage bill by a large majority in April this year, with 77 votes in favour and 44 against. The public gallery erupted broke into song after the announcement that the change had been passed, with a rendition of the traditional Maori love song, Pokarekare Ana. However, the legislation has been met with heavy criticism from religious groups and Christian lobby groups.
The law change has angered some religious leaders, with the Anglican Church asking its ministers not to conduct the weddings pending a report to its general synod next year. Catholic bishops have opposed the weddings outright while other denominations have been split.
New Zealand is the 14th region in the world to legalise gay marriage.
(JP/IT)
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Lydia Bright Gets Candid About Giving Birth
Lana Del Ray Splits From Boyfriend
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Susanna Reid's Mother's Day Plans
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