Happy Pride Month

We believe people should be free to love and marry whoever they wish, regardless of gender – this really is a no-brainer! Love is love and it makes the world a better and more beautiful place, whatever form it takes. - Eco Wood Rings 

Hello, June! We love you – not just for your long summer evenings and glorious sunshine, but for your month-long celebration of LGBTQ+ Pride. It was in June 1969 that the LGBTQ+ community in Greenwich Village New York fought back against regular police raids on the Stonewall Inn gay bar. The Stonewall riots lasted six days and were a turning point for LGBTQ+ rights. One year later, also in June, the world saw its first Pride march in New York. In 1999, President Bill Clinton declared the entire month of June as Pride Month – and this has caught on around the world, including here in the UK. 

This is the month where the world acknowledges the progress made for LGBTQ+ rights – and also how far there is still left to go. Here at Eco Wood Rings, it’s hard for us to understand why it took until 2013 for same-sex couples to be allowed to marry in the UK – or that in many countries this is still far from possible.

We have worked with some very special couples in the last couple of years, some of whom we've featured in blog posts you may have already seen on our Instagram and Facebook pages. If not, then you must. Their stories are so feel-good and romantic it's just wonderful. Below are links to some of the Sentimental Stories and we know you'll love them so snuggle up with a brew and soak up the rainbow coloured lovliness, folks.

Sally & Donna: 'Forever & Always'

Ian & Henry: Romance, Gin & a Monocled Cat

Brooke & Kate: Long Distance Love

Jason & Kevin: 'YES'

Rita & Em: A Lockdown Love Story

 

Given several centuries of discrimination, it’s probably not surprising that many LGBTQ+ couples shy away from a more traditional wedding – and it’s still not possible for same-sex couples to marry in an Anglican church. But that’s all the more reason to break from tradition and create a wedding day that’s unique and meaningful to you.

Here’s where you might want to consider a humanist wedding. Humanism is a non-religious philosophy that believes we can live ethical and uplifting lives based on reason and humanity. Humanist weddings put love centre stage and give couples the opportunity to design their own ceremony, from where it’s held to the vows they exchange. So if you want to tie the knot in your favourite pub, or by the park bench where you met, there’s no stuffy old marriage law to say you can’t. And if you do want to bring in a bit of tradition, you’re free to pick and choose what’s meaningful to you. 

Here’s where you can get truly creative – from what you wear, to how you make your big entrance: walked down the aisle by friends, family, each other – or just ditch the aisle altogether? At Eco Wood Rings, we love it when couples come to us with requests to create wedding bands that truly tell their story. We’ve inlaid sand from the beach where a proposal took place, the wood from a favourite skateboard, even fragments of vinyl from a couple’s first dance. It’s the idea of taking a millennia-old tradition and making it something perfectly personal that’s just so lovely and fills our hearts to bursting point.

In the end, it all comes down to being free to be who you are, to love and express your love, your way.

If you’ve already got an idea for a ring design or are feeling inspired to explore possibilities, we’d love to hear from you. You can use our design enquiry form to get in touch and share what you have in mind. In the meantime, a wish for June: May all love come to be honoured and celebrated everywhere. 

Happy Pride Month! 🌈