Wedded Bliss

Elton John and his partner, Canadian-born filmmaker David Furnish, are now married.

Quite possibly the world’s most famous gay couple, the pair tied the knot on Wednesday in a ceremony at the Guildhall Windsor Register Office, where Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles wed in April.

The ceremony itself was a private affair – attended only by close friends and family, including John’s mother, Sheila, and stepfather Fred, and Furnish's parents Gladys and Jack, who flew in from Canada.

Walking out arm-in-arm, both in black suits, the just-wed couple waved to photographers and fans gathered outside the town hall.

John and Furnish were among hundreds of same-sex couples marrying Wednesday, the first day new legislation took effect affording them many of the same social security, inheritance, and pension rights currently enjoyed by heterosexuals.

"Their same-sex civil partnership ceremony will be reported all over the world including in countries where news about gay issues is normally never reported," said Peter Tatchell, spokesman for the gay and lesbian human rights group OutRage!

"This will give hope to millions of isolated, vulnerable, lesbian and gay people especially those living in repressive and homophobic countries."

Furnish and John have been together for 12 years, and both appreciated the significance of Wednesday’s vows.

"As far as I'm concerned I've always considered myself committed to Elton and he's the person that I want to spend the rest of my life with. So in that sense I don't feel like the dynamic of our relationship is going to change," Furnish recently told Attitude magazine. "But from a social standpoint, I think it’s hugely significant. It is a major, major change. It is one of the defining issues of our times."

After the ceremony, the pair left in a black Rolls-Royce for a lunch with family, to be followed by a reception with 700 guests at their mansion. Costing an estimated one million pounds, attendees were to be served pink champagne and lamb.

Guests at the couple's swank bachelor party Monday included Ozzy Osbourne and his wife Sharon, model and actress Liz Hurley and musicians Bryan Adams, Gary Barlow and Kid Rock.

Canada, The Netherlands, Belgium and Spain have already legalized same-sex marriage, while Germany, France and Switzerland have adopted laws similar to Britain’s.

 December 21, 2005