For British gays, new law rings in wedding bells

Priests and taxes
With thousands expected to take advantage of the new law, questions over religion, morals and taxation have arisen here.

The Church of England provoked fury among traditionalist Anglicans worldwide by allowing gay priests to register their civil partnerships, as long as they remain celibate.

Meanwhile, some local councils and marriage registrars have attempted to thwart the upcoming partnerships. In one prominent case, the Conservative-held London suburb of Bromley was pressured into allowing the unions only after London's mayor, Ken Livingstone, intervened and the local authority received legal advice that it had to provide same-sex couples with rights equal to those of heterosexuals.

Separately, British tabloids have speculated that due to a “loophole” in the law, people — primarily opposite-sex couples who are "just friends" — will attempt to cash in on the tax savings of a civil partnership. This is because failing to consummate the union would not nullify it, as it would a heterosexual marriage.

On the other hand, some same-sex couples are worried that they will lose out financially if they legalize their partnership.

“At the moment, as a single person, if you register your civil partnership together, you in effect lose half your pension,” said Booth, the engaged woman in her fifties.

“I think for a lot of us it’ll be seeing what happens in the first year of people registering their partnerships, seeing how society and the government reacts, and what happens thereafter,” she said.

Bright future
Overall, Mason and Cairns feel they have already benefited from the new law and are looking forward to a bright future.

They have also found a new line of work. While looking for a honeymoon spot to celebrate their upcoming union, Mason became interested in RSVP Vacations, an American company that organizes gay cruises. He now runs the European chapter of the company, and his sailor suit-clad fiance works alongside him at the Gay Wedding Shows.

They have already taken part in two mock civil partnerships at the shows and are enthusiastically planning the real one. After that, they feel there are not limits to what they can do, including raising children.

"If we could adopt a child from one of the countries that's faced devastation recently we'd take it right now," said Mason.

MORE FROM EUROPE

Europe Section Front

Brokaw: The night the wall came down Germany marks fall of Berlin Wall NYT: Legacy of ’89 is still up for debate Swiss: Pair detained in Libya delivered to embassy Queen leads Britain's ceremony for war dead Wig-wearing mob fugitive nabbed in Italy Fair targets France’s 260,000 annual divorces Clinton: Berlin Wall festivities not just a party How NBC got its ’89 Berlin Wall scoop Europe Section Front   Add Europe headlines to your news reader: