Gay 'weddings' legal from today

GAY 'weddings' will become legal in Scotland from today with hundreds of same sex couples planning to tie the knot.

Same sex couples who already have married in certain countries abroad will be recognised in Scotland from now on, while the process towards allowing partners to marry at home will begin from today.

General registrars, who already have informally booked in at least 140 couples in Scotland, will begin sorting through a pile of applications for weddings in a variety of locations, from Highland castles to Celtic Park. Couples will have to wait for 15 days after registering before they can marry.

The first gay wedding in mainland Britain is expected to take place in Edinburgh at 9.30am on Tuesday, 20 December when John Maguire and Laurence Scott-Mackay, who work for an IT and engineering firm in California, will marry at India Street Registry Office after nine years together.

Later in the day a couple of councillors are expected to marry in Aberdeen. John Stewart and Neil Fletcher will tie the knot at King's College Chapel followed by a champagne reception at Elphinstone Hall attended by 250.

High profile celebrity civil partnerships are expected to be Elton John and his long-term partner David Furnish, and TV home makeover experts Colin and Justin who live in Glasgow.

Daniel Donaldson of Equality Network, a campaign group for gay, lesbian and bisexual couples, said hundreds of couples have inquired about civil partnerships, and an initial rush is expected when the legislation comes in.

Local authorities already have started booking venues in anticipation, although applications cannot be officially considered until today .

Edinburgh is proving the most attractive destination for gay couples, with 59 couples booked with the registrar so far. Of these, 35 couples are male and 24 female. In Glasgow 30 couples say they are interested in taking advantage of the new legislation. Fife is the third most popular local authority with 18 bookings, and in Perth and Kinross nine couples are booked in.

It will cost 103.50 to register a civil partnership, with additional costs if the ceremony is held in a location other than the local registrar's office.

Possible venues include Celtic Park, and wedding planners Gay Weddings in Scotland promise a range of Highland castles.

Supermarket chains also are cashing in on the pink pound. Asda have launched a range of "Mr and Mr" and "Mrs and Mrs" cards, while sets of "Darling, Dearest, Queerest" embroidered soaps and towels went on sale at Superdrug on Friday.

On a more serious note, the Law Society has warned gay couples to take advice on wills, pre-partnership agreements and tax planning, and Equality Network will be launching leaflets for same sex couples today on the legal implications of entering into a partnership.