Gay London couple to wed one minute after equal marriage law takes effect
A gay couple in London have announced their intention to marry a minute after the law changes on 29 March 2014, and that they expect to be the first gay couple to marry.
John Coffey, 52, a television producer, and Benardo Marti, 47, a brand stylist for a gardening business plan to get married at 12:01am on 29 March.
The Pimlico based couple will be married by Westminster council’s superintendent registrar Alison Cathcard in a double ceremony featuring straight friends.
Speaking to the Evening Standard, Mr Coffey said: āWe will be their witnesses, and they will be ours. In my mind, that will be a true symbol of equality ā a straight wedding and a gay wedding at the same time.
āWe inquired if anyone else had asked for the 12.01 slot a few months ago, before we knew the actual date. They said, āYouāre the first and weād be happy to do it.ā”
He went on to say: āWe were thinking of a civil partnership. Then, when the whole thing about gay marriage came in, it meant more.
āBeing 52, growing up in London, I still remember the little white stickers on the Tube station saying āAre you an isolated homosexual? If so ring ā¦ā To have gone from that to this in my lifetime is, to me, astonishing. Five years ago I would never have believed it.ā
Despite saying they expect to be among the first to marriage and acknowledging the significance of that, the couple have said the event will be a private affair.
In an announcement earlier this week the DCMS said that it was working on ensuring that couples already in civil partnerships could convert to marriage as soon as possible, and gave a time frame of before the end of 2014.
