Queen Elizabeth II gave her assent today to a bill that will allow same-sex marriage in both England and Wales. CNN notes, however, that the first such weddings will probably not take place until 2014.
The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill cleared the House of Lords and the House of Commons this week, the story continues, and Her Majesty's assent—a formality in the United Kingdom—makes the measure official.
The law does not come into force immediately because government departments need time to make changes. New processes must be drawn up for registrars, and new forms will also have to be drawn up. The government expects to announce a more formal timetable for the implementation of the law in the fall.
The decision does not cover the whole of the United Kingdom, however: Slate.com reported that Scotland is likely to approve same-sex marriages by 2015, and religious conservatives in Northern Ireland have blocked the effort there.
The question now remains: Where will the top wedding and honeymoon destinations be throughout the country? Weddings on the London Eye are always popular, but what about a quiet ceremony in the Brecon Beacons National Park in Wales? Sound off in the comments below!