14 Stories

As you know, our company was founded in New England and we still have a Boston office.  We are proud that now, all 7 New England states support marriage equality!  Welcome, Rhode Island - we can't wait to start planning some amazing Newport gay and lesbian weddings. Newport is one of the most beautiful and charming cities in the U.S. and has some absolutely beautiful wedding venues, such as Bel Mer.  Bring on the Newport gay weddings!  We can't wait.  Congratulations to the LGBT couples of Rhode Island.

So, there's good news and there's bad news...civil unions were just signed into law in Rhode Island, effective July 1, 2011.  How can this possibly be bad?  I mean, think of all those Newport gay weddings (and civil unions)!

Well, the only way the bill passed was if it included the right for religious institutions to not recognize a civil union.  This basically legalizes discrimination by religious institutions.  The law of course gives a church the right to say, "We won't perform a gay wedding here" (which is totally fine if they so choose).  But it also allows religious institutions to deny other services to same-sex couples, such as adoptions, social services, funerals and so forth.  

I have mixed feelings about this, as much as I would LOVE to help gay couples have a beautiful wedding in Newport (and other parts of Rhode Island).  I don't mind some religious exceptions but these ones seem particularly extreme.

Are you going to plan a Rhode Island gay wedding or civil union now that it's legal?

(photo by Kristin Spencer)