Demand for gay weddings examined

Civil partnership ceremonies will take place in the UK from December

Gay and Lesbian couples are being asked about the likely demand for same-sex marriages in North Yorkshire.

New laws come into effect in December allowing civil partnerships, a ceremony which give couples the same legal rights as those in marriages.

North Yorkshire County Council has 10 register offices and 100 licensed venues ready to take bookings.

Focus groups are meeting in Scarborough and Harrogate to find out what people want from the ceremonies.

Gay wedding show

Issues including the wording, musical content and the likely venues are to be discussed.

Under the Civil Partnership Act, gay and lesbian couples can register their union from 5 December.

In the ceremony, couples sign an official document in front of the registrar and two witnesses.

The authority is promoting the county as an attractive location for civil partnerships, and is planning a display at the Gay Wedding Show in Manchester in November.