Celebrate the YES vote by planning your wedding!

I’m sure you’ve all heard the good news by now: the Australian public overwhelmingly said “We Do” to marriage equality on November 15th in a historic nationwide plebiscite on same-sex marriage.

I’m not ashamed to admit that my little queer heart swelled in joy and I shed a tear or two as I saw the results shared live on Twitter surrounded by the hashtags #YESAustralia and #marriageequality. It’s another step towards full equality for LGBTQ+ people (although I know that we’re nowhere near it yet).

My favourite part of the Twitter frenzy surrounding the survey was when the “No” lobby conceded defeat (because, of course, they were going to lose) and tried to console themselves by announcing that they would consider a 40% vote against equal marriage as a moral victory. Well, in the end, they only got 38.4% of the vote, which means they didn’t get the moral victory they hoped for: we did.

What’s next for same-sex marriage in Australia?

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull pledged that his government would support the introduction of same-sex marriage if a Yes vote was returned and – given a standard waiting period of 30 days for legislation to take effect—equal marriage could theoretically be legal by Christmas (and what a great Christmas present that would be!).

However, we all know that things are rarely that simple.

Unlike Ireland’s recent referendum on equal marriage, the Australian plebiscite is not legally binding. It needs to be introduced to Parliament via a Private Members’ Bill and voted on by the MPs (some of whom have threatened to vote against it) before a date can be set for same-sex marriages to begin.

So, what can you do while you’re waiting for Parliament to implement the will of the Australian people? Well, you could start planning your own WLW wedding! I mean, it never hurts to be prepared, does it?

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Planning your WLW wedding

Some women have been planning their wedding in their heads since they were kids, while some have given it about as much thought as their average takeout order. No matter which of these applies to you, it will save you a lot of trouble to start planning now if you’re engaged.

Initial Stages

It might be a strange thing to suggest – begin planning your wedding before an actual date can be set  – but there is so much that you can organise in the interim period. Let’s get cracking ladies!

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Get Inspired

Pinterest is a great place to start looking for inspiration and consolidating your ideas as it allows you to save images, articles, and even videos, from all over the web to one place so that you don’t misplace anything. One popular theme for WLW weddings around the world is Pride. Think rainbow-coloured decorations, music from queer artists, and collecting donations for LGBTQ+ charities in lieu of gifts.

Set a Budget

Setting budgets may seem hella unromantic, but the truth is that even setting a loose budget now will save bigger fights down the line e.g. when someone realises they can’t afford the string quartet. It will also make other decisions simpler because you’ll know what options can be ruled out based on cost.

Scope out venues, officiates, and vendors

Not all of these will accept female couples (boo!), but you can always start looking at ones you like and asking if they will accept same-sex weddings. Just let them know that even though you can’t commit to a date right away, you’ll let them know as soon as possible. Be prepared to have a few options, as your favourite may be in high demand once the legislation passes.

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Buy Rings

While it’s likely that you already have engagement rings, it’s now time to look for the perfect wedding ring ready for your big day.

Choose your wedding party

If you want someone to be involved in your wedding party, it’s a good idea to ask them as soon as possible; especially if you want them to help you plan your bachelorette party or if they’ll need to buy outfits in a specific colour or theme.

Write the Guest List

While it may be a little too early to send out Save the Date cards – let alone invitations  – you can always draft your guest list so that it’s ready and waiting.

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Look for wedding outfits

Some of you will be wearing suits, some of you will be wearing dresses. Some of you may even wear something crazy like scuba suits if your wedding is really unique.  But no matter what clothes you’ll be wearing, you’ll need to allow plenty of time for design, creation, and alterations.

This may well be the most expensive outfit that you’ll ever wear (and your wedding photos are likely to be the most-viewed pictures that you ever appear in) so you’ll want to get it just right. Luckily, you can easily match your body type with the style of suit or wedding dress style that will flatter you the most.

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Going Further

Once the same-sex marriage legislation has made it through the Australian Parliament, you’ll be able to sort out the finer details of your wedding.

Your first task will be finding out the legal requirements (i.e. when you need to get your license) and then you’ll need to set a date. Once you’ve chosen the date, it’s time to go back to your venue, officiate, and vendors to book them up ASAP. Then you can start sending out save the date cards and creating your invitations.

So that’s my advice for starting to plan your WLW wedding in Australia, but I’m excited to hear your tips. I’m also excited to hear about your wedding plans. Have you gotten engaged since the survey result was announced? Have you made any plans so far? Let me know in the comments below.