One of the things that changed during the various campaigns for equal marriage is the kind of visual images that the general population have about same-sex couples. All of a sudden the actual weddings of same-sex couples became one of the ways in which people think of LGBT people.
St Mary’s was one of the congregations which took a lead in the campaign to allow same-sex couples to get married in church and the first such wedding here took place on the first day that it was possible.
A number of couples had their nuptials at St Mary’s before that date too as clergy were asked to bless civil partnerships. Some of those weddings have been very simple ceremonies – in one case a couple who had been together for 50 years who came to stand before the altar to receive God’s blessing of their relationship with just one other person present – someone who knew them when they first got together. In other cases, the weddings have been fabulous celebrations for many people. Whether small or large, these weddings have all had the common factor that people feel relieved to be able to express their love in public and be able to have that love acknowledged by others and blessed by God.
Sometimes those planning weddings can turn into groomzillas or bridezillas. God loves them all and here at St Mary’s the clergy and musicians work hard to ensure that people can have a wedding to remember.