First-Ever Same-Sex Wedding Survey Reveals Trends in Gay Weddings
By TheKnot.com Editors
In celebration of gay pride month, TheKnot.com partnered with The Advocate to release results from the first ever Same-Sex Wedding Survey. The goal of the survey was to find out more about how same-sex couples are planning their weddings and incorporating (or modifying and modernizing!) wedding traditions. From asking permission before proposing to walking down the aisle escorted by mom or dad, here's a snapshot from the study.
On Proposing
• Same-sex couples are less likely to have a formal proposal than their straight counterparts, with about 58% proposing, compared with approximately 91% of straight couples. They are far more likely to just decide to get married; two out of five (40%) opted for this route, compared with one in 10 (9%) straight couples.
• Same-sex couples are less likely to seek permission from family before the proposal, with only 19% opting to gain permission, compared with 67% of straight couples.
• For same-sex couples, the engagement ring is likely to be a surprise. Of those who received an engagement ring, one in four (28%) were surprised, while for those who proposed, almost half (46%) surprised their partners with a ring.
Adorable same-sex wedding photos
On Wedding Planning
• Same-sex couples are more likely to evenly split wedding planning responsibilities - more than half (55%) split the planning evenly, compared with just 19% of their straight counterparts.
• Same-sex couples are also more likely to pay for the majority of the wedding themselves. A large majority (86%) paid for the wedding themselves, compared with just 40% of straight couples.
• Same-sex couples face many challenges when planning their weddings. Twenty percent agreed that the paperwork and legal issues regarding their marriages being recognized was their biggest challenge.
• Same-sex weddings are more likely to be casual and less traditional with 40% calling their wedding style casual, compared with 16% of straight couples.
On Traditions
• Straight couples are more likely to follow tradition for their walk down the aisle during the ceremony. The majority (74%) will be escorted by a family member, while for same-sex couples, 35% will be escorted. Same-sex couples are much more likely to walk down the aisle together, with 37% doing so.
• In the majority of straight couples, brides changed their names to reflect their new husband's last name (76%). Among same-sex couples, the majority see both partners keeping their given names (62%). Both types of couples are equally as likely to hyphenate their names.
• Determining how to plan traditions was also a challenge for same-sex couples. About 16% found it difficult to figure out how to personalize existing wedding traditions to suit their needs.
• Same-sex couples are less likely to go on a honeymoon. Sixty-three percent plan to go on a honeymoon, compared with 84% of straight couples.
More from The Knot:
Read The Knot's first ever same-sex weddings digital magazine
5 conversations to have before marriage
10 big wedding toast don'ts!
The weirdest real wedding vows ever
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