Civil partners Sir Elton John and David Furnish to wed in May... but this time it'll be a small 'do with their sons and witnesses

By Emily Sheridan

PUBLISHED: 16:33 EST, 29 March 2014 | UPDATED: 11:16 EST, 30 March 2014

When they were united in a civil partnership nearly nine years ago, they celebrated with a huge celebrity party featuring 650 guests.

But as Sir Elton John, 67, and David Furnish, 51, announce plans to marry in May, this time the celebrations will be a lot more low-key.

After gay marriage was made legal in England and Wales on Saturday, the couple revealed they are planning to tie the knot again.

Wedding bells: Sir Elton John and David Furnish, pictured in Las Vegas on Friday, will marry in May

Wedding bells: Sir Elton John and David Furnish, pictured in Las Vegas on Friday, will marry in May

Speaking to the Las Vegas Review Journal in Sin City on Friday, film producer David revealed: 'We don’t feel the need to take an extra step legally. But since we’re committed for life, we feel it’s really important to take that step, and take advantage of that amazing change in legislation.

'We all live by example.'

Despite Sir Elton's love of hosting large parties, the couple are planning a small celebration for their gay marriage, with just their two sons Zachary, three; and Elijah, 14 months; and a few witnesses in attendance.

David explained: 'We do like big parties. Over eight years ago, we had 650 people on the 21st of December at our house in Windsor.

United: David and Sir Elton had a civil partnership ceremony in Windsor in December 2005

United: David and Sir Elton had a civil partnership ceremony in Windsor in December 2005

'But with the kids, everything is different. I think what we’ll do is go to a registry office in England in May, and take the boys with us, and a couple of witnesses.'

Sir Elton and David, who have been a couple for 21 years, were one of the first couples to take advantage of the same-sex civil partnership law in England and Wales in December 2005 on the day it came into affect.

Following the ceremony at Windsor Guildhall, the John-Furnishes then retreated to their Windsor mansion for a huge celebrity party, with Victoria Beckham, Ringo Starr, Elizabeth Hurley, Donatella Versace, Claudia Schiffer, David Walliams and Sharon Stone among the guests.

David told the Review-Journal he was surprised, but thrilled he and Elton would be able to have the equal right to wed after growing up believing it would never be possible for a gay man.

Celebration: Broadcaster Sandi Toksvig and her partner Debbie renewed their vows at London's Southbank Centre on Saturday

Celebration: Broadcaster Sandi Toksvig and her partner Debbie renewed their vows at London's Southbank Centre on Saturday

He said: 'I remember trying to come out to my mother and unfortunately going to all the negatives. "You’ll never get married. You’ll never have children. You’ll never be accepted by society. You’ll be prejudiced against. You won’t have a future".

'We’re living in extraordinary times. My God, 20 years ago, when I started seeing Elton, if you asked me if I’d be able to get married, if I’d be able to have children, it was unthinkable, literally unimaginable.'

Sir Elton and David are just one of a host of celebrity gay couples planning to wed following the new legislation.

Union J singer Jaymi Hensley and his fiancé Olly Marmon are planning to wed later this year, while broadcaster Sandi Toksvig renewed her vows with her civil partner Debbie at London's Royal Festival Hall on Saturday.

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I'm very happily civil-partnered and we have no desire to get married in a church that really doesn't want us there in the first place. So man conservative church leaders were against it, so why should we bother? We are happy enough together. That's all that counts.

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The irony is they have been together, and their civil partnership has lasted a lot longer than a lot of men and women who get married in a church. Plus those men and women who do get married, I assume they never have affairs or get divorced as surely that would undermine the institution of marriage? Thought not.

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And we need to know this because?????

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They could have done it in Toronto, it's been legal here for over ten years. Isn't Furnish Canadian?

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Since they already have the civil partnership, it's not clear to me how this is substantially different. It's still a basic registry office ceremony, am I missing something?

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maybe those of us in the heterosexual community need to take a lesson from the gay community....heterosexual couples today take marriage for granted and swap partners like underwear...finally they get the luxury of being able to legalize their marriage, how many heterosexual people can say they have been together 20 years like David and Elton and had to go through the hate and harassment they have and still remain together.........best wishes to them....

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Will probably be just a small do renting out the whole Palace of Versailles upstaging Kim & Kanye in the process no doubt...go Sir Elton!

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So happy! I can get married in a few years from now! Take that haters!!

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Good luck to them. Just one thought on this gay marriage landmark and the news that it's generating.......if it really does mark the age of equality, then why does it make headline news? According to national register records, 934 weddings took place today in the UK, I don't see any reports or pictures of these marriages except for the gay marriages - is that equality? - Joel, Hull, United Kingdom, 29/03/2014 10:53 pm Get a grip. Hetero couples have never been oppressed and persecuted so stop the pointless whinging and grow a pair.

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After marriage it's all downhill from there. You have been warned.

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