To have to wait to the end of the year to marry my wife, rather than the end of March.

[luccamum]

My wife and I had our CP on the first day that It was legal, 21/12/2005.
We had been together 8 years by that point, we had a commitment ceremony in 1998.
We only had a CP because it was all that was on offer, it gave us legal protection as a couple.
We never saw it as a marriage.
Same sex marriage will be legal from the end of March, but not if you are already CP'd, we will have to wait till an unknown date "before the endof 2014" - oh, and we will have to pay again!
I love my wife more today than the day I met her.
AIBU to feel that this is unfair?

Isn't the delay to do with converting pre-existing CP's into marriages?

There is presumably some legal tinkering needed to be done to the existing legislation relating to CP's.

YANBU to feel its unfair, as marriage should have always been an option, so it's shit that you now have to wait due to some change in the law re CP.

But there is a silver lining, sense has prevailed, and although you do have to wait, you will be able to enjoy marriage as you should be able to if that's what you want.

Because I want to get married, not have the second rateCP that was what we had to settle for.
Why did they not realize that people would want to get hitched if they were already CP'd?

It is rubbish that you have to wait. But, why not go for the 21st Dec? then only one anniversary to remember

Congratulations in advance though.

Call me Thick MacThickie from Thicksville, but why do you have to wait if you have a CP?

Wouldn't a wedding overwrite that? It's the same person.

Clearly I'm thinking far too simplistically tonight

Bohemiangirl, I wish that was the case, asI would marry her tomorrow, but unfortunately it isn't the case.
I can't see what is so complicated that it takes a further 9 months to sort out legally.
Nice idea to use 21/12 as the date, but we already have 2 wedding anniversaries - October for our CC and December for our CP!
Two wedding rings as well!

YANBU. Commiserations. But I hope you have a really great day when you're finally able to do it...

Seems pretty bonkers to me, I'd be a bit confused about it too.

Out of interest, is there any difference legally between a CP and marriage? Does one come with more rights than the other?

I wonder what the rules would be if you dissolved your civil partnership and then immediately reconciled and got married the next day?

I presume that's not a good idea because of the time/expense involved in dissolving the CP.

It does seem mad that it takes 9 months to tweak the law. Bar lying to the registrar and claiming that you aren't CP'd or getting a quickie divorce I don't see that you can do anything about it. Easier said than done, I know, but try and forget about yet another shitty, unfair, hurdle and have a nice time planning your awesome wedding.

Bit difficult to lie to the registrar, he CP'd us! (It was the first one he had ever done.)