5 things to consider for a same-sex wedding

We are so excited to see all the incredible same-sex weddings flooding our Insta feeds lately – there’s just something about seeing couples so in love that gives us a serious case of the warm and fuzzies! Planning your own same-sex celebration? We turned to Australia’s first-ever certified gay celebrant Bronte Price for his words of advice and insider knowledge …

Weddings are beautiful, and for obvious reasons too. The typical definition of weddings says that it’s the celebration of bringing two souls into unity. To me, it’s the feeling which makes a wedding special and not who is involved. Funnily enough, you probably haven’t come across the term straight weddings very much – yet I bet you sure have heard the term Gay weddings (and quite often recently!). But have you ever stopped to wonder why we label gay marriages? Humans love to label things, especially if it’s something new. In my opinion, though, it’s the labelling of same-sex couples as being different from straight couples which cause confusion. Love is not staged or gender biased. All weddings have love, a license, vows and a celebration attached, and every couple has the right to include elements that make sense to them – and it’s best we all accept this. If we all understand that a wedding is a wedding, it doesn’t need a label.

In my experience, however, there are five things for gay couples to further consider when planning their wedding:

1. Checking the legality should be a top priority

“Marriage equality is getting the green light in many parts across the globe – yay! However, there are still countries that do not issue a marriage license to a same-sex couple. For example, in Australia same-sex couples can only get married via a civil commitment ceremony. It’s advisable to check the legalities before getting married as a same-sex couple. A quick Google search got you confused? Get in contact with your local Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages for helpful advice.”

2. You might want to shake up tradition

“When it comes to celebrating your love, it’s a case of you do you. From the celebrant to the vows and the ring exchange, there are many ways you can make your ceremony more in tune with your beliefs and general vibe. Take something like walking up the aisle – do you want to go traditional and have your parent accompany you? Do you want to go your own way and join your sweetheart at the altar by yourself? Or do you want to mix things up a little and walk hand-in-hand to your ceremony? It’s up to you!”

3. Forget traditional gender roles

“The same generally goes for straight weddings too, but the gender roles in your wedding can be however you like. Whether you’re thinking of asking your mum to walk you up the aisle or you’d like to invite a bridal party of ‘best women’ and ‘groomsmaids’ to be part of your special day, go with what feels ‘right’ to you both and have a little fun!”

4. Be creative with your outfits

“Just like with other wedding traditions, your outfits can be as unique or as traditional as you like. Love the classic look? Brides, if you’re marrying your lovely lady but want to keep things slightly conventional, maybe consider both wearing dresses in different (but complementary) styles – bonus points if you can tie in fabrics, details or motifs from each other’s outfits (like real-life brides Barbara and Ana, above)! Grooms, you might want to wear a smart suit and change up colour combinations with your suit jacket, shirt, pants or accessories (like Michael and Philip, below). It’s your special day, so talk with your partner about your dream wedding-look and consider outfits that will make you both look amazing!”

5. There might be some discrimination from vendors

“Let’s get real for a second – same-sex marriage is a new thing, and people are still trying to find a way to show their support. Some vendors, irrespective of their best intentions, do not have a lot of expertise in same-sex weddings. This might lead them to create some unintentional awkwardness. While it’s not ideal, you might have to reconsider a dream vendor if they aren’t fully supportive and research similar options. Luckily, there’s a world of embracing, wonderful vendors out there that are super-excited to be part of couples’ (of all communities) weddings. In the end, it’s all about love, isn’t it? Shake off any negativity, get excited for your special day and prepare to feel nothing but #GoodVibesOnly!”

Planning your special day? Take a peek at our helpful directory here…

Images from weddings of Barbara + Ana (Marina Ridgway Photography) and Michael + Philip (Soda Photography)

About the author: Australia’s Bronte Price is the first ever certified gay celebrant. He is also the co-founder of an Equality Network that caters to LGBT wedding needs by creating a better experience through wedding suppliers. As a member of the GLOBE (Gay and Lesbian Organization for Business and Enterprise), he works tirelessly to empower the LGBT community. His website Gay Celebrant Melbourne is a stunning example of his dedication for celebrancy that unites the power of love. Apart from that, his fiancée Clint and their four-legged fur baby, Bingo are Bronte’s quintessential lifelines. He is also passionate for volunteering as a newsreader at Joy 94.9 and spending time in his organic backyard comes a close second.

5 things to consider for a same-sex wedding

1. Checking the legality should be a top priority

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