Gay marriage is a given here in Canada (and has been since 2005.) But in the United States, it’s still not nationally recognized as a legal state of matrimony.
 
This past weekend In New York, things got one step closer to fine, when it became the sixth state to legalize same-sex marriage.
 
Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the measure into law Friday after New York’s Republican-controlled state Senate approved it earlier that night in a 33-29 vote. It cleared the way for gay marriages to begin July 24.
 
And the really exciting part? A report estimated more than 21,000 gay and lesbian couples from New York would marry within the first three years and nearly 42,000 gay and lesbian couples from out of state would travel to New York for a “destination wedding.”
 

 
As many as 6,000 marchers and 2 MILLION spectators celebrated the passage of Cuomo’s bill during Manhattan’s annual Gay Pride parade.
 
Nice work, New York! And, once again, congratulations!

Wait, what?
 
Most of us struggle with planning just the one! But for Alex Pelling & Lisa Grant, one wedding ceremony is all just a bit too mainstream.

Wedding #1 (of 30) in Manchester

In a Daily Mail Online article, Manchester couple Pelling & Grant happily recount their plans to have a ceremony in EVERY COUNTRY that they visit in an epic two-year, 30-country trip.
 
Sounds like a budget-buster to end all budgets. But, with a price-tag estimated at £50,000 (approximately $80,380 CAD), the couple really isn’t spending more than some do on just the one day. Granted, the groom did sell both his business AND his home to pay for this whirlwind escapade. But that’s neither here nor there.
 
The couple plans to immerse themselves in the culture of each country/ceremony and say they’re even planning their own romantic version of the Mile High Club with an in-flight ceremony. Cheeky, cheeky.
 
I do hope they’re documenting all of this. I’d totally watch it on TLC, wouldn’t you?
 

Because my husband & I are both online nerds in our professional lives, we tend to instant message each other regularly throughout the work day. We send each other news articles, goofy photos, links to new movie trailers, interesting pieces from Wired.com – it varies. Today, he sent the following… with the follow-up message:  “Heh. I bet you cried.”
 
He’s a jerk. But he’s right. There were tears.
 
But, seriously, how can you not give props to this guy? Not only did he ask her dad for permission (a concept I know some find to be old fashioned and trite, but I like it; and, yes, LX asked my dad for permission before he proposed), he filmed, edited & had it publicly screened in order to pull off his perfect proposal.
 
Kudos, Matt! And best of luck to you & Ginny!