civil partnerships

[electricnite]

out of my 15 years in this business i did my first civil partnership and what a fantastic night. all day long leading up to it i was getting stupid texts off my d'j's about one thing and another. they all had run of the mill weddings to do . and 3 of them said they should have been dentists because they were pulling teeth all night, I reminded them thta they were given the option of doing the gig which i did and they were like err mmm , not my cup of tea, all the excuses in the book etc. and i had one of the best disco's ive done this year, from the dancing to the two lads being the most polite and fun loving people i'd ever met. what a night
anybody done the partnerships and what was your night like and would you do them again because i most certainly will.

[Corabar Steve]

Ones I've done have been great.

The one spanner in the works was the first one they said I wasn't dressed smartly enough. I was wearing a £300 Aquascutum suit! & they only asked for smart casual!!!!!!! (I don't do smart casual, it's either smart or scruffy with me)

[Penfold42]

Well done, never done one...have not been asked.
Time will tell....and should be no different from a normal wedding apart from the obvious.


I reminded them thta they were given the option of doing the gig which i did and they were like err mmm , not my cup of tea, all the excuses in the book etc.

Is this now against the law???
I had a e-mail from a free listing stating that I must bring my company in line with the new rules.....The Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007 came into force on 30 April 2007, and affects ALL wedding businesses.
Under this -
http://www.thepinkguide.co.uk/advice-for-suppliers-_203the-equality-act-_cont359.html

[Vectis]

One of the best nights of the year, nay century, so far was a CP I did a few weeks back for a male couple - first dance was Man2Man Meets Man Parrish - Male Stripper.... you can guess the rest!

Unfortunately no pics for that one. Not that I could ever get those images out of my head! :)

[rob1963]

Well done, never done one...have not been asked.
Time will tell....and should be no different from a normal wedding apart from the obvious.

Is this now against the law???


I've never done one either.

I had a query recently, but it was for this summer & I was already booked.

Penmare - I think you're right with your last point. I'm pretty sure it's illegal to discriminate against clients (or turn down a booking) based on the sexuality of the clients.

[theoloyla]

I did my first one (2 lesbians) about 5 or 6 weeks ago and it was brilliant.

[Penfold42]

I'm pretty sure it's illegal to discriminate against clients (or turn down a booking) based on the sexuality of the clients.

I would like a chance at doing one of these....wouldn't turn it down because of that.....although I can see why someone would not like to do one!!

Think it's a bit like the smoking ban....get use to it.
(General comment and not my thoughts!)

[Dragonfly]

ive done 2 now brilliant nights both times and great people only problem was getting them to go home at the end.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

I've done 3 and got another on Saturday.

One of the partners is dressing up as Marie Antoinette and arriving to the National Anthem. They are then doing their first dance to 'Vogue' by Madonna, complete with dry ice type effect and Madonna's live version of Vogue being projected onto a large screen.

Should be an interesting one!

[Shaun]

I've done one so far and it was a lot of fun. I've got another coming up in a few months where one half of the couple is deaf, so they've requested extra bass so she can 'feel' the beat. They're a really lovely couple, I can't wait to play at their event.

[CRAZY K]

I've never done one either.

I had a query recently, but it was for this summer & I was already booked.

Penmare - I think you're right with your last point. I'm pretty sure it's illegal to discriminate against clients (or turn down a booking) based on the sexuality of the clients.

Spot on Rob--I wasnt going to post this--but I will now.

Its a strange Country we live in when a business has now by law to offer certain specific services --even though I have been perfectly happy for many years (25 in fact) to do these kind of bookings and have done several in the past with pleasure and without any legislation to force me. Just my view--do I have Human Rights as a business person---maybe not:eek:

Im all for equality of every kind--

Anyway ranting over heres the small print----------

The Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007 came into force on 30 April 2007, and affects ALL wedding businesses.

These regulations make it unlawful for a person concerned with the provision to the public of goods, facilities or services to discriminate against a person who seeks to use those goods, facilities or services on the grounds of the sexual orientation of that person.

"Therefore, any difference between the services or goods offered for a marriage or a civil partnership may be in breach of the Regulations and liable to legal action.”What does this mean to wedding businesses?
You need to ensure that the service and prices you offer for weddings is the same regardless of whether it is a Marriage or a Civil Partnership.


We would advise you to take this opportunity to look at the packages you offer.
Does your sales literature repeatedly and unnecessarily refer to "the bride and groom" rather than "the couple"?
Are you offering special packages for brides and grooms that same-sex couples can't book?

By aiming your marketing only at straight couples, or only at gay couples, you are not only breaking the law but you are missing out on a lot of potential bookings.How Guides for Brides & The Pink Guide help you to comply
All businesses listed on www.GuidesforBrides.co.uk are also listed on www.ThePinkGuide.co.uk
Any advertisements shown on both sites display the same text and photographs on each site.

We advise advertisers to include an appropriate image, perhaps of a bride, or a groom, but not of a couple.


CRAZY K

[ian8limelight]

I'm doing one this Friday, for two females.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

The Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007 came into force on 30 April 2007, and affects ALL wedding businesses.



The thing is though, if it really wasn't your thing and wouldn't feel comfortable doing it, then you just say that you're not available. Nobody can force you into anything, can they really?

[BeerFunk]

The thing is though, if it really wasn't your thing and wouldn't feel comfortable doing it, then you just say that you're not available. Nobody can force you into anything, can they really?
Exactly. I don't think the law has any handle on this, it would get too complicated, and there's really no point enforcing this.

How would laws such as that affect 'women only' driving schools, for example?

Anyway, back on topic, I've never had such a function, but I have gay friends so it wouldn't seem anything out of the ordinary to me

[PropellerHeadCase]

"Therefore, any difference between the services or goods offered for a marriage or a civil partnership may be in breach of the Regulations and liable to legal action.”What does this mean to wedding businesses?
You need to ensure that the service and prices you offer for weddings is the same regardless of whether it is a Marriage or a Civil Partnership.


Does your sales literature repeatedly and unnecessarily refer to "the bride and groom" rather than "the couple"?

The difference between the services is inherent in the service provided - should I continue to say Bride and Groom when they're not, or stop saying Bride and Groom when they are? As there is no equivalent term for Bride or Groom (life-partner and life-partner? :eek: ) it's a bit on the nose. You now virtually have to have separate forms, one lot saying "Bride" and/or "Groom" where appropriate and the other saying "couple" or "partner" where appropriate - but by the letter of the law that would be illegal. In trying to make your booking forms cover all the bases and be lawful you end up adding a new page (if only partially used) to your (previously) one page booking form.

Is referring to your service as a 'Wedding DJ' now illegal because you are now a Wedding and Civil Partnership DJ? Or does the fact that Civil Partnership is the default equivalent for same sex couples mean that it's OK? And if it is doesn't that mean that Bride and Groom can be used as default equivalents?

Some gay couples play on the Bride and Groom aspect of the ceremony, some don't and are offended by it... what to do?

Isn't being non-responsive to the fact of the gender of the "happy couple", in and of itself, discriminatory (and bad business)? You'd alter what you played at a wedding if the couple were in their 50s and on their second marriage, as compared to two people in their 20s.


For the record I did a CP reception for two ladies in their 50s a few months back - it was a really great night. Their only negative comment, ironically, was about the reference to 'Bride' and/or 'Groom' on the booking forms, but they couldn't provide what they considered to be a suitable equivalent when referring to one or the other, either, except for their personal names (which on a blank form you don't have).

I did tell my boss to get 'Civil Union' and 'Civil Partnership' into the meta-tags for the site, but I don't think he's done it yet.

I think the legal fact of a civil partnership/union is fantastic - I think the method and cost of compliance, at the 'PC' level to be somewhat draconian.

[rob1963]

Should I continue to say Bride and Groom when they're not, or stop saying Bride and Groom when they are? As there is no equivalent term for Bride or Groom (life-partner and life-partner? :eek: ) it's a bit on the nose.

Al,

You make a good point there.

With weddings, I always ask if we can have the bride & groom on the dance floor for the first dance.

What do I say when I do my first civil partnership?

What do the rest of you say?

:confused:

[Danno13]

"The Happy Couple"?? "Bob & Alan"?? "Mary & Jane"??

[rob1963]

The thing is though, if it really wasn't your thing and wouldn't feel comfortable doing it, then you just say that you're not available. Nobody can force you into anything, can they really?

Darren,

That's a very good point. The fact is if we're asked to do something we don't want to do (whether work related or not), we usually just tell a white lie or make up an excuse, so the people we are saying no to will be none the wiser.



With weddings, I always ask if we can have the bride & groom on the dance floor for the first dance.
What do I say when I do my first civil partnership?


"The Happy Couple"?? "Bob & Alan"?? "Mary & Jane"??

Good idea, Danno. I guess either "The happy couple" or simply their names will do just fine.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

I guess either "The happy couple" or simply their names will do just fine.

That's what I've done. but only after asking them how they would like it done.

[electricnite]

introduce the night " welcome along to celebrate the partnership of..." and when they come to do the first dance, for example "can we have duke and ross onto the dance floor" use the first names. saves any embarrassment

[colinm345]

Ive one 2 guys which the agent did not tell me about:D and it was a fantastic night:)

[CRAZY K]

The thing is though, if it really wasn't your thing and wouldn't feel comfortable doing it, then you just say that you're not available. Nobody can force you into anything, can they really?

Yes they can! THEY HAVE!

Im forced to make my advertising compliant with a new law that DOESNT allow me to target Males and Females only--if I wanted to--which I dont

I MIGHT not wish for personal reasons to receive calls for Civils-- --as it happens I dont--but my CHOICE has been taken away by the state---see what I mean?

CRAZY K

[BeerFunk]

...which brings me back to my unanswered point about 'women only' driving schools, and suchlike? Surely this is the same thing, and hence illegal?

[Penfold42]

Yes they can! THEY HAVE!

Im forced to make my advertising compliant with a new law that DOESNT allow me to target Males and Females only--if I wanted to--which I dont

I MIGHT not wish for personal reasons to receive calls for Civils-- --as it happens I dont--but my CHOICE has been taken away by the state---see what I mean?

CRAZY K


...which brings me back to my unanswered point about 'women only' driving schools, and suchlike? Surely this is the same thing, and hence illegal?

Two very good points....and no answers.:)
Apart from PC!

[colinm345]

Yes they can! THEY HAVE!

Im forced to make my advertising compliant with a new law that DOESNT allow me to target Males and Females only--if I wanted to--which I dont

I MIGHT not wish for personal reasons to receive calls for Civils-- --as it happens I dont--but my CHOICE has been taken away by the state---see what I mean?

CRAZY K

Hi Alan
I cannot quite understand that as The Wedding Planner has a new book that targets same sex couples and as I understand it it is now becoming big business:)

[CRAZY K]

Hi Alan
I cannot quite understand that as The Wedding Planner has a new book that targets same sex couples and as I understand it it is now becoming big business:)

Colin, perhaps it is on the lines of --we now also welcome enquiries from same sex couples for Civil etc etc ---that would keep it inside the law I guess and thats what my site says.

CRAZY K