Wedding bells in Brisbane

A Brisbane couple held a lavish ceremony at Customs House in July to celebrate what they consider to be their marriage.

Professor Alan McKee and Anthony Spinaze (pictured left) have been together for four years and held a wedding celebration despite the same-sex marriage debate continuing to rage across the country.

The couple shrugged off the arguments and politics, saying they decided to commit to each other regardless.

Asked if recent developments in Queensland – such as the landslide victory of the Liberal National Party government and subsequent rollback of civil unions – factored into their decision, the couple said that they couldn’t care less.

“Not really. It was always about our family and friends,” McKee told the Star Observer.

“All you have to do is hire a venue and send out invites to everyone you love. That’s what we did.”

“We don’t really care what Campbell Newman thinks. We don’t have a piece of paper. But everybody in the room knows that we’re married now,” Spinaze said.

In relation to the national debate and Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s personal stance on same-sex marriage, the couple had strong feelings.

“It’s petty and vindictive. Hateful,” McKee said.

“Marriage is a flawed institution, but everyone should have equal access to it. Queers shouldn’t be forced to be relationship activists,” Spinaze said.

Recent proposals to exclude same-sex couples from entering into altruistic surrogacy arrangements in Queensland have also caused the couple concern.

“We’re going to have kids one day. Alan will be a wonderful dad,” Spinaze said.

“Let’s see them try to stop us,” McKee added.