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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Race against time for same-sex Melbourne couple to marry | Race against time for same-sex Melbourne couple to marry |
| (about 10 hours later) | |
| Fast-tracked wedding for terminally ill woman and her partner, who say their marriage will not just be ‘tolerated, but accepted’ | |
| Australian Associated Press | |
| Fri 15 Dec 2017 04.40 GMT | |
| First published on Fri 15 Dec 2017 04.30 GMT | |
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| A terminally ill Melbourne woman and her long-term partner are set to make history when they become Australia’s first same-sex couple to legally marry on home soil. | A terminally ill Melbourne woman and her long-term partner are set to make history when they become Australia’s first same-sex couple to legally marry on home soil. |
| Cas Willow, 53, and Heather Richards, 56, have been together for 17 years, but are in a race against time to marry, as Willow has breast cancer which has spread to her brain, leaving her just weeks to live. | Cas Willow, 53, and Heather Richards, 56, have been together for 17 years, but are in a race against time to marry, as Willow has breast cancer which has spread to her brain, leaving her just weeks to live. |
| The pair were given the green light to marry on Monday, rather than waiting until 9 January, which was expected to be the first day of same-sex weddings after new laws required couples give four weeks’ notice. | The pair were given the green light to marry on Monday, rather than waiting until 9 January, which was expected to be the first day of same-sex weddings after new laws required couples give four weeks’ notice. |
| “I don’t even know if I’ll make it to Christmas, let alone 9 January, so they allowed us to get married early,” Willow told AAP on Friday. | “I don’t even know if I’ll make it to Christmas, let alone 9 January, so they allowed us to get married early,” Willow told AAP on Friday. |
| Another Melbourne couple, Megan Stapleton and Stephanie Dybal, were given permission to get married on Thursday, because they had organised a non-binding wedding for that date well before laws were passed by federal parliament, and had relatives flying in from overseas. | Another Melbourne couple, Megan Stapleton and Stephanie Dybal, were given permission to get married on Thursday, because they had organised a non-binding wedding for that date well before laws were passed by federal parliament, and had relatives flying in from overseas. |
| Willow and Richards got engaged when federal parliament legalised same-sex marriage, rather than having a long engagement or commitment ceremony as it “just wasn’t the same”. | Willow and Richards got engaged when federal parliament legalised same-sex marriage, rather than having a long engagement or commitment ceremony as it “just wasn’t the same”. |
| “We are committed to each other, we didn’t need to do a commitment ceremony to prove it. We wanted to do a wedding because it’s equal, it’s legal,” Richards said. | “We are committed to each other, we didn’t need to do a commitment ceremony to prove it. We wanted to do a wedding because it’s equal, it’s legal,” Richards said. |
| The pair said staff from the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, where Willow is receiving treatment, suggested they arrange a fast-tracked wedding hosted by the hospital. | The pair said staff from the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, where Willow is receiving treatment, suggested they arrange a fast-tracked wedding hosted by the hospital. |
| Catering, goods and services have all been donated by the hospital’s service providers and contractors. | Catering, goods and services have all been donated by the hospital’s service providers and contractors. |
| “We are thrilled to support the celebration of Cas and Heather’s marriage,” the hospital’s chief executive, Dale Fisher, said. | “We are thrilled to support the celebration of Cas and Heather’s marriage,” the hospital’s chief executive, Dale Fisher, said. |
| The couple said it would be an honour and a privilege if they became the first same-sex couple to be married on Australian soil. It would allow their last precious few weeks, or even days, together to be “complete”, Richards said. | The couple said it would be an honour and a privilege if they became the first same-sex couple to be married on Australian soil. It would allow their last precious few weeks, or even days, together to be “complete”, Richards said. |
| “It means our relationship won’t just be tolerated, it will be accepted.” | “It means our relationship won’t just be tolerated, it will be accepted.” |
| The couple has asked donations be made to the Peter MacCallum Cancer Foundation in lieu of wedding gifts. | The couple has asked donations be made to the Peter MacCallum Cancer Foundation in lieu of wedding gifts. |
| Marriage equality | |
| Same-sex marriage postal survey | |
| Australian law | |
| LGBT rights | |
| Australian politics | |
| Melbourne | |
| news | |
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