Smith and Baker in Central Park with their rings (from Buffy and Bimbo's collection) A well-known Auckland gay couple will still have their wedding blessing at St-Matthew-in-the-City, despite having to have a civil ceremony first. Jonathan Smith and Kevin Baker, aka Buffy and Bimbo, say they were aware of the rules and regulations of the Anglican Church, and were still happy to use St-Matthew’s for their wedding blessing. Anglican policy allows the church only have a religious ceremony with a same gender couple after they have been married in a civil ceremony elsewhere, something Vicar Glynn Cardy says is out of his hands: “At St Matthew’s we think that policy is discriminatory and we are committed to working to change it; although realistically such change may take many years.” Radio station ZM was to hold its ‘Fabulous Gay Wedding’ at the church on the day the marriage equality legislation comes into place, but is now seeking another venue. Smith and Baker are planning their October wedding celebration at St-Matthew’s, after getting engaged in New York as the legislation passed its final hurdle. “We were aware of the rules and regulations and were still happy to use St-Matthew-in-the-City for our wedding blessing,” Smith says. “We love the church, the venue and what it symbolises to our community. Everyone was aware that when the marriage equality bill was passed that there was still work to be done with the churches. “Kevin and I, and Buffy and Bimbo, have always been supported by Vicar Glynn who will be conducting our blessing even though he would have left the Anglican Church by Sat 12 Oct.” Smith says the rules and regulations have always been clear, and he wonders whether someone didn’t do their job. “I just hope ZM are aware that a marriage license needs to be applied for at least three days before the service.”
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Thursday, 18th July 2013 - 9:49am