The LGBTQ wedding planner aiding Hong Kong couples as gay marriage remains illegal in city
- Next Chapter LGBT is Hong Kong’s only LGBTQ-focused wedding planner, helping couples get married abroad and, more recently, at home
Kurt Tung had every reason to feel proud while watching the live stream that saw 10 LGBTQ couples in Hong Kong tie the knot in a ceremony conducted by an officiant in the United States.
“I feel happy that I could help couples make their wedding dreams come true,” the Hongkonger says of the “Pride to Wed” ceremony, held in June as part of Pride Month celebrations.
What made the June 25 event so special was not just the large number of couples getting married but that it was conducted by a registered officiant 12,000km (7,500 miles) away in Utah.
The US state, where same-sex marriage was legalised in 2014, has become the go-to place for online weddings because unlike other states it does not require couples to appear in person to present identification.
By offering remote weddings – whether via Zoom, FaceTime or other video-conferencing platforms – it has paved a path for legally binding same-sex marriages for couples living in places where it is still illegal. That includes Hong Kong.