Southbank Centre to hold 2014 wedding festival to celebrate first same-sex marriages
In summer 2014, London’s Southbank Centre is to hold a huge wedding party in celebration of the first same-sex marriages to take place in England and Wales.
The equal marriage bill for England and Wales was on 18 July given Royal Assent, and is now officially law. The first same-sex weddings are expected to take place from Summer 2014.
Couples will be able to get married at the centre located on London’s South Bank. Both spaces inside and out the centre will be utilised for a massive celebration.
The festival, named Proud to be Wed, will allow participants to attend events at several places in and around the centre, including flowers and cake, dancing, bands, musicians, magicians, fireworks, circus artists, poets and dancers.
As well as allowing gay couples to get married in the style or taste they wish, straight couples will also be welcome to attend, and marry if they wish. Married couples will also be allowed to renew their vows.
Jude Kelly, Artistic Director of Southbank Centre said, “Love must be celebrated and so must equal rights. To celebrate this historic moment and in recognition that love conquers all, we will welcome gay and straight couples to be at the centre of our magnificent wedding party at Southbank Centre next summer.”
The celebrations will begin a few days before the main festival, with best man and woman speech making workshops, calligraphy classes, and opportunities to be paired up with designers to have wedding day outfits created.
Information on how to register for the Love and Marriage Festival will be available on the website –www.southbankcentre.co.uk – in the autumn.
