Summer of love awaits
TASMANIAN marriage celebrants are gearing up for a busy summer, with same-sex couples able to officially tie the knot from January 9 after this week’s historic vote.
From today, same-sex couples will be able to lodge a Notice of Intended Marriage to begin the onemonth minimum notice period required by all couples before they can hold a marriage ceremony.
The paperwork was updated yesterday to change the titles “bride” and “groom” to “party 1” and “party 2”.
It comes after Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove yesterday gave royal assent to the legislation allowing marriage equality.
The Senate and House of Representatives votes followed the $122 million national postal survey in which 63.6 per cent of Tasmanians voted “Yes”, compared with 36.4 per cent who said “No”.
Celebrant Karina Siggins expects to be able to preside over her first samesex wedding in February.
“I have a beautiful couple who had organised a ceremony of recognition for a significant relationship in February,” she said.
“The girls are really excited that now the legislation is through ... it can now be a lawful wedding instead.”
Ms Siggins said she was pleased a range of amendments were voted down.
One of those was an exemption which would have allowed civil celebrants to refuse their services to same-sex couples if they had a conscientious exemption.
“To me, the word celebrant means that you are helping a couple celebrate their love and, whether they are the same sex or not, doesn’t matter,” she said.
Long-time Hobart celebrant Maxine Lowry said she expected there would be many same-sex couples wanting to marry, but many would opt for a more private celebration.
“It’s something they’ve waited for and they don’t feel the need to tell the world, but they want the protections and acknowledgment that comes with marriage,” she said.
Celebrant Jason Betts said all gay couples who registered their intention to marry today could take up his offer of free wedding documentation and ceremony, which he will perform en masse at a yet to be decided location on January 10. He can be contacted on 6249 8484.