Editorial: Wedded bliss fit for all

Moscow Ballet's classic love story Sleeping Beauty is on at Baycourt in Tauranga.

Despite the rain and wind, I had a romantic weekend - on Saturday at Moscow Ballet's classic love story Sleeping Beauty at Baycourt and on Sunday working at the Tauranga Wedding Show.

Judging by numbers at both, romance is alive and well in the Bay.

Earlier this month we reported that almost 700 people got married in the Bay last year during a surge of ceremonies on the previous year.

It is not all tiaras and tutus. Statistics New Zealand records show that more than one-third of couples who married in 1989 had divorced before their 25th wedding anniversary.

Yet, for some, the fairy tale is never ending. This month reporter Ruth Keber brought us the delightful story of Norma and Trever Rayner who celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary in the same month Mr Rayner celebrated his 90th birthday. The couple remain as in love as the day they met where it was love at first sight. Mrs Rayner said her husband was still "her darling".

Why should the journey of love, from the excitement of planning cake, music and photos like those at yesterday's wedding show, be confined to princes and princesses or even more down to earth Messrs and Mrs like the Rayners?

Statistics New Zealand figures show a surge in same-sex marriages in the first full year of registrations since the Marriage Amendment Act came into effect in August 2013.

The number of same-sex civil unions dropped significantly in 2014, with couples opting to marry instead - there were 277 more same-sex marriages last year than in 2013.

It is taking the rest of the world a while to catch up with marital equality legislation although, encouragingly, this weekend Ireland's citizens voted in a landslide to legalise gay marriage. The yes vote was backed by politicians close to the Catholic Church, such as Fianna Fail party leader Michael Martin, who said he couldn't, in good, conscience back the anti-gay marriage side, saying,

"It's simply wrong in the 21st Century to oppress people because of their sexuality."

The Irish do romance like no other, with castles, rugged cliffs and wild pubs with cosy corners to kiss in to the sound of Van Morrison and Bono.

Let's hope the rest of the world takes their romantic lead as far as marriage equality goes.