Historic Weddings in the UK - Elton John Marries

Today, gay and lesbian couples in England are doing what they've never been allowed to do before - get married. With the passage of the Civil Partnership Act, same-sex couples can now register their unions with the government and receive basically the same rights and priviledges as straight married couples. Northern Ireland was the last country in the UK to legalize homosexuality and it became the first to allow gays and lesbians to marry when New Yorker Shannon Sickels married Irishwoman Grainne Close.

Due to waiting period restrictions, couples had to wait until today in England and Wales. Elton John and his longtime partner David Furnish were among the first couples to get married. Congratulations to all of the couples!