THE first same-sex marriage booking has been made in Notts.
Eleanor Plumstead and Ruth Harris couldn't wait to take advantage of a change to the law allowing gay and lesbian couples to get married.
The law comes into force on March 29 next year, with Eleanor and Ruth set to tie the knot on Saturday, August 9.
Eleanor, 23, said: "We were very happy when we heard the Government were changing the law.
"It came a lot sooner than we had been expecting. We were already looking to get married and now we can't wait for the big day."
The couple, of Mansfield, will marry at the town's register office.
They hope to follow the ceremony with a celebration in a church before a reception at the nearby 281 Restaurant and Rooms.
They met in August 2011 and got engaged a year later.
Until March, gay and lesbian couples can have civil partnership ceremonies but are unable to get married.
Eleanor, who is studying English literature with the Open University, has long campaigned for the law change.
She said: "I've done a lot of online campaigning, for example on Facebook.
"I have put pictures up of brides, some heterosexual and some lesbian, and asked people if they can spot the difference.
"We have waited for the law to change so we could get married as it is what we both preferred rather than a civil partnership ceremony."
Ruth, 31, who is studying theology at St John's College in Nottingham, said: "We jumped for joy when we heard the law had been changed.
"We weren't sure when it would come into effect but they said summer 2014 – that's when we started planning for August.
"We have sent out save the date cards, and we are very excited."
The county council has been holding civil partnership ceremonies for same-sex couples at its registration office and premises approved by the authority since they were introduced in 2005.
The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act became law in July this year.
Helen Scaman, corr from the county council's registration service, said: "Now that we know the date that same-sex marriage ceremonies can take place from, we can now take bookings which is really exciting and it is a truly historic occasion.
"Couples who are already in a civil partnership are also able to have a marriage ceremony and we will continue to offer partnership ceremonies if couples would prefer this option to mark their relationship."
