Male Wedding Bands Despite a major effort by a couple of large retailers to promote men’s engagement rings in the 1920’s, the practice of a man’s wearing an engagement ring never became a trend, potentially because the rings were viewed as too feminine. After all, men weren’t even wearing wedding bands in the 1920’s, never mind a man’s engagement ring. Wedding bands started to become popular in the 1940’s around the time of World War II. Young, recently-married soldiers were being sent to Europe to fight against the Nazis, and they were unsure if they would ever see their spouses again. To rem ..read more

Marriage is a Serious Commitment Thinking about a gay wedding? Take some time to consider the pros and cons of gay marriage, and how they apply to you and your partner. While marriage is an expression of love and commitment, it’s a serious commitment that has substantial legal and financial obligations. The decision for gay and lesbian couples to get married deserves careful consideration because it can impact you for the rest of your life — even if your marriage doesn’t last that long. Most of the legal and financial benefits of marriage don’t manifest themselves until you get older, accumula ..read more

Congratulations! You’re getting married! Now it’s time to plan your gay wedding! For many gay, lesbian and transgender couples, after the initial excitement wears off, the panic sets in. Planning any kind of wedding can seem like a daunting and stressful task because there are so many things to do and so many details to keep track of. And planning a queer wedding just adds a little more stress and complexity to the process. Don’t panic because we’ve got you covered with all the advice, checklists and resources you will need to plan and execute your special gay day, whether it’s a small, casual ..read more

Who Pops the Question? Traditional Marriage Proposals The classic tradition in a straight relationship is for the man to ask the woman’s father for permission to marry her. After he’s granted that permission, he then purchases a diamond engagement ring and proposes marriage, often while bending down on one knee. Since these roles are very gender-specific, gay marriage proposals will be different. But that doesn’t mean they can’t be fun or embrace romantic traditions. Gay Marriage Proposals You can still have an element of surprise in a proposal, even when you know it’s coming. If one partner t ..read more

Why Gay Wedding Ceremonies are Different Religious Prohibitions Be who you are and be that well to honor the Master Craftsman whose handiwork you are. — St. Francis de Sales One of the biggest differences between gay wedding ceremonies and straight wedding ceremonies is the absence of religion in some gay ceremonies. Many gay and lesbian couples can’t have a traditional religious marriage ceremony because the religion they belong to is opposed to same-sex marriage. These religions forbid members of the clergy from marrying gay and lesbian couples. According to the Pew Research Center, religio ..read more

Just as with your wedding ceremony, you can have any kind of gay wedding reception you desire without being concerned about following any particular wedding traditions. On the other hand, you are invited to incorporate whichever traditions you like in your reception, and to create your own unique queer version. Once again, let your creative side guide you! Throw a Party! The gay or lesbian wedding reception is the time for you to celebrate and for your guests to have fun! Your guests just sat through your gay wedding ceremony and are probably ready for the party to begin. If your gay wedding r ..read more

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Wedding flowers are one of the most important elements of your gay wedding. They provide color, serve as the backdrop for all your decorations and help establish the overall theme of your wedding. They are a part of every aspect of your wedding, from what you wear to the wedding ceremony to the wedding reception. Your guests might even take home some of your wedding flowers as a keepsake or to show others. The ideal wedding florist can translate your ideas into flower arrangements and assume the responsibility for planning this part of your wedding. A bad wedding florist can make your wedding ..read more