VIP wedding to celebrate gays' big day

Photo / Thinkstock

Auckland will put on VIP treatment for one of the first gay marriages in New Zealand - officials are even donating use of The Cloud for the reception.

A public vote will decide which of five couples will celebrate their wedding and reception in spectacular style.

The ZM radio station is billing it as "the most fabulous gay wedding ever", and will name one couple each day this week.

The winners of the public vote will be announced on July 26, and they will marry at 8am on the day the Marriage Amendment Act comes into effect, August 19.

And what a wedding it will be. The ceremony is at St Matthew in the City Anglican church. Traffic engineers will then give the couple VIP treatment, ensuring every traffic light is green for them as their horse and carriage makes its way to the waterfront for a reception at The Cloud on Queens Wharf.

Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development is giving the winning couple a surprise "Auckland Destination" package. Chief executive Brett O'Riley said the city was supporting same-sex marriage.

If Auckland wanted to be the most liveable city in the world, he said, it was important to embrace every aspect of a modern society.

However, Anglican Church hierarchy have not yet agreed to ministers celebrating same-sex marriages, so the couple will not be allowed to sign the wedding register in the church ceremony.