Now that the United Kingdom has passed the marriage equality bill for England and Wales, Pink News has put together a handy FAQ, including:
When will the first same-sex marriages take place?: No one knows the answer to this question. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), the government department responsible for equalities, has said that they must take place by the Summer of 2014. We expect that they will take place earlier, more than likely in the Spring.
Why can’t couples get married straight away?: In some other countries, same-sex marriages were held almost immediately after the law being , while in England and Wales they will take longer. This was also the case with civil partnerships, where there was a year’s wait. In part it is to ensure that all of the relevant changes are made to secondary legislation that refers to a married couple. There are also other administrative changes to be made too. PinkNews published a costing of these changes earlier this year. In addition, government sources have told us that the Westminster government is hoping that Scotland could introduce same-sex marriage at the same time. This would mean that gay couples throughout the mainland of the UK will be able to marry, wherever they live.
Se these and many more at the link above.