People
Simon and Jonathan
"We
first met at a country dance in the Daylesford
Town Hall, during the Chillout festival. I liked
the way he danced, so full of energy and life
and his big beaming smile", says Jonathan. In
2004, the UK introduced same-sex unions that
could take place in British consulates overseas.
"We decided we were ready for marriage and
thought we'd have a quiet ceremony with a few
friends. But, like all these things, the wedding
grew organically into an amazing series of
events." Jonathan’s mother even dug out the
morning suit that his grandfather and father
were married in. "We had the official wedding at
the Melbourne consulate with our close friends
and family - my brother came from the UK and
Simon’s family were all there. The next day we
had our own event at Fitzroy Town Hall, with 150
guests plus kids for lunch and a ceremony based
loosely on the marriage service." Simon and his
friends sang five beautiful classical songs
(he’s an opera singer by trade), Jonathan’s
brother and Simon’s mother read from the book
'The Prophet' and the whole gathering witnessed
their vows. Simon's father, a retired Anglican
minister gave a superb address in which he said
"those who don’t like gay marriage, will just
have to put up with it". "Gay marriage isn't just
about legal recognition, it's about claiming our
right to be included as full members of society."
Christie
and Nicole
"We
first met through a mutual friend, and ever since
have been inseparable. We found in each other what
we thought could only exist in our imaginations, and
believe we have found our soul mates. We are getting
"married" on 1st December 2007, and can't wait to
express to each other and our families what we both
feel inside. We are able to register our marriage in
the UK because of hereditary dual citizenship
rights, but this can feel depressing, knowing that
in our home country, on the 26th floor of a
building, we will be legally married, but as soon as
we step outside the door, what we will have done
stands no ground, and the commitment we have made to
each other apparently means nothing. We hope that
one day soon the commitment of gay and lesbian
couples to each other will be recognised in
Australia, and we encourage other couples who feel
ready to make this commitment to do so." regardless.
For a guiding hand, see Mark's and Adam's website (below).
It was an invaluable help in planning our day."
Adam and Mark
Adam
and Mark had known each other for some time, but it
wasn't until they reconnected through Mark's salon
that things progressed. "As both of us were not long
out of a relationship, we were initially cautious,
but we shared the same vision for a committed and
honest relationship and things developed quickly.
The next thing we knew, we had been together two
years. Eleven months after I had proposed to Mark,
we were 'married' on November 11th, 2006 in front of
our family and friends. Being announced as 'life
partners' is the most memorable moment in both of
our lives and is something that will forever be with
us. It is our dream that one day the laws will allow
our union to be legally recognised in Australia. We
were so deeply moved by our commitment ceremony that
we have developed a website documenting every
aspect, difficulty and success of our special day.
You can view it at http://members.optusnet.com.au/~ravenvenom"
David and
Michael
David
and Michael met on Manly Wharf in Sydney in
January 1973. David was visiting home from
London where he was completing post graduate
studies and Michael was visiting from Melbourne
for work. David returned to London a week later
and Michael to Melbourne. A long distance
courtship ensued with many letters, phone calls
and tape recordings going back and forth.
Michael headed for London in August 1973 and he
and David have lived together since in London,
Melbourne and now Cairns. "Although our
relationship was strong, marriage
seemed important to give formal recognition to
it. We very much regret we are unable to do it
in Australia." Michael and David were married,
33 years and 2 days after starting their
relationship, in Toronto on 15 August, 2006. "We
will forever be grateful to Canada for the
opportunity and look forward to the day when we have equal recognition in our
own country."
Kat and Una
"I
(Katherine) was living in Bristol in the UK when I
met Una. We have been together for six and a half
years. We have been living in Brisbane since April
2006 when Una gave up all she knew to come with me
back to Australia. Before we left the UK we took
advantage of the civil partnership arrangements and
tied the knot on the 1st April 2006 at the Bristol
Registry Office. I can honestly say it was the best
day of my life, surrounded by our British friends
and family. There was such an atmosphere of love,
joy and fun. How could anyone say that's wrong?
Since moving back to Australia we have discovered
how many different ways we encounter discrimination
largely due to government policy and legislation."
Shahida and Indrani
"Shahida
(Pia) and I met three years ago when we were both
craving for a person with a pure soul and loving heart.
After living eighteen months together, Pia is now in
Dhaka, Bangladesh waiting for her interdependency visa
to be processed. It's already ten months that I have not
held her close physically though in my mind she is with
me. We are thrilled that soon the ACT will be
registering 'civil unions' for same sex couples. When
Pia comes back, which I hope will be very soon, we would
love to register our commitment to one another and
legalise the relationship. We ask good wishes from you,
the readers and supporters of this website, for us and
people who are in love like us."
Richard and Darryl
"Our
names are Richard Rivera and Darryl Rutter. We met
online, against all odds. I am American and my partner
Darryl is Australian. We have been together unofficially
since January 1, 2003. We moved in together when I
arrived in Australia, and celebrated our commitment
ceremony on Sunday 19 June 2005 in our home in Redbank
Plains, Queensland. It did rain a bit, but I am told
this is supposed to be good luck."
Heather and Michelle
"Heather
and I are both postgraduate students. We met at
university, and immediately hit it off. And now we're in
the process of planning our wedding. It's only a simple
wedding, but it all seems to take so much organising!
Part of the problem is co-ordinating celebrations in
three countries. Heather is American, so we'll be going
to the US and I'll meet Heather's family. Then we'll
make a trip to Canada and get legally married (and have
a party), return to the US (and have a party), and
finally come home to Brisbane (and have a really big
party). To track our progress in this crazy process, see
my blog at http://not-like-that.blogspot.com"
Kaz and Elaine
Elaine
and Kaz were married at Elaine's home on 27 December
2004 in Brantford, Ontario, Canada. "It was a small
ceremony and very enjoyable. We both believe with our
hearts we are true soulmates. We are very much alike in
many ways. Ten days after our ceremony we headed off to
India for two and a half months, it was a very intense
time for both of us, and yes we have come through it
with flying colours, we are now in Australia for Kaz to
finish off her studies, then we both will be returning
to Canada to live. We are both very committed to each
other, and our love has grown deeper as the days have
past."
Stephen and Daniel
Together
since September 2003, Stephen and Daniel were married on
11 December 2004 at the State Rose Garden, Werribee
Mansion, Victoria. "We are very much in love and having
made a private commitment to each other, we decided that
we wanted our family and friends to share that also. It
is a shame that our union is not legally recognised in
Australia but that may change in time. It is recognised
by our family and friends and that in itself is
important. When Stephen and I married, we each married
the person we want to spend the rest of our lives with.
We had a wonderful day surrounded by those people who
love us and are important to us."
John and Max
John
is from Vancouver and came to Australia to work in
January 2003. Max had migrated from the UK a year
earlier. "We've cohabitated since August 2003, got
engaged in April 2004 and were married in front of our
family and friends at Seasons in Queen Elizabeth Park in
Vancouver, Canada on 10 October 2004. Our civil
celebrant Diane Brown brought both warmth and solemnity
to the occasion. And we danced until the cows came
home!"
Alicia and Isabella
"Alicia
and I met at work, we were so young! I found out she had
a crush on me and the next thing I knew she was kissing
me on a night out with mutual friends... Cupid shot his
arrow and now 7 years, 4 animals and a first home
purchase later we're finally getting married! We have
decided to go back to my home town of Vancouver, Canada
to tie the knot in the snow (her idea.... she has no
idea how cold it's going to be!) and legally. I think
it's sad that in such a wonderful, easy going country
there is such inequality being supported by the
government. Whether the law here in Australia
acknowledges it or not, I'm marrying the woman of my
dreams whom I love with all my heart!" Alicia and
Isabella will marry on 29 December 2005.
Scott and Manuel
Scott
and Manuel met and moved in together in March 1993. They
moved to the Gold Coast in 1995 to start a business
together in the building materials supply industry.
"Working and living together has been a big learning
curve, but on 19 August 2004 we flew to Bali for our
commitment ceremony. At the beginning it was to be just
the two of us as our family are scattered in may parts
of the world. After a six hour plane delay in Brisbane,
however, waiting in the Qantas lounge, we met a group of
twelve friends going to Bali for their annual holiday.
It soon came to be that they were dubbed the 'Qantas
rent-a-crowd' and helped celebrate our wonderful day
together. Since arriving back home we have stayed in
contact with the 'Qantas rent-a-crowd' and get together
often and have forged friendships which will last for
many years to come."
Mel and Nikki
Gelardi-Bunyi
"Mel
and I met in 1997 at a private pathology laboratory
where we were working as scientific officers. It was
love at first sight, like we had met in a previous
lifetime. Due to discrimination we left the laboratory
back in 2000 and opened a same sex dance company called
Le Groove Dance Co. We love working together and even
though we've been together for almost seven years now, I
still get that butterfly feeling and our love just grows
stronger and stronger. Mel and I believe we are truly
soulmates." Mel and Nikki are photographed after their
commitment ceremony which occurred at Heffron Hall,
Metropolitan Community Centre, Surry Hills, Sydney.
Robert and
Morrison
"After
fifteen years together, and after almost ten years of
Robert asking me, we finally spent five days in North
America and we were married. I was never interested in
marriage, "Why do we need to?" or "Why do you want a
piece of paper?" I would keep asking him. Then a few
months ago he said to me that he had arranged it and we
were going to Canada to get married. I now consider this
the best thing I have ever done. I just love being
married."
Damian and Graham
Douglas-Meyer
"We
first met in the crowded public gallery of the
Legislative Council of the Western Australian Parliament
as the first of WA's comprehensive lesbian and gay law
reforms passed into law. From the very first, it was as
if we had both finally met each other's soulmate, and we
wanted our family and friends, and indeed the world, to
recognise that fact. After a priest blessed our union
before our family and friends in Perth, we travelled to
Toronto to gain the legal recognition from Canada,
knowing we would not rest until Australia also
recognised that fact." Damian and Graham were married on
26 March 2004 in Toronto, Canada.
Drew and Lee
Drew
and Lee met in August 1999 through mutual friends at a
house warming party in Sydney. Drew says, "When we first
discussed making a public commitment to each other
through a commitment ceremony and or marriage, we knew
that we were already committed to each other, but we
wanted our family and friends to share in that
commitment. So we decided that the most natural thing
was to have a commitment ceremony, since a marriage was
not legal in Australia".
Alice and Donna
"We
met camping in Daylesford, Victoria at the Gay and
Lesbian Chillout Festival. It was love at first sight.
We participated in the mass commitment ceremony Summa
Vows at Midsumma and realised we wanted to have a
ceremony of our own. We organised a joint birthday party
and organised for a celebrant to be there and surprised
all of our friends and family with a ceremony. We wrote
our own vows, danced together and threw a bouqet. The
only thing that would have made it more perfect was if
it was legally recognised."
Are
you married or are you getting married?
Send us your details so we
can include them on our site:
EMAIL US HERE
