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Photos: Same-sex weddings behind closed doors in Hong Kong

Homosexuality was only decriminalised in Hong Kong in 1991, and despite a vibrant gay scene and an annual pride parade, conservative attitudes still run deep in Chinese traditions. Same-sex marriage is not legally recognised and often those who have a ceremony say they prefer to do it privately, away from the public gaze. But behind closed doors, pro-LGBT church groups and clergy allow couples to experience a wedding celebration in the company of friends and family and a supportive environment.

Updated on: May 18, 2018 12:09 PM IST

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Pastor Joe Pang prays behind C.P. So (L) and Alvin Chan (R) during their wedding ceremony at a church in Hong Kong. It was a day Chan and his partner So had never imagined possible -- tying the knot in front of cheering family and friends in Hong Kong. (Dale De La Rey / AFP)

Updated on May 18, 2018 12:09 PM

Pastor Joe Pang prays behind C.P. So (L) and Alvin Chan (R) during their wedding ceremony at a church in Hong Kong. It was a day Chan and his partner So had never imagined possible -- tying the knot in front of cheering family and friends in Hong Kong. (Dale De La Rey / AFP)

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Choir members rehearse as a man sets up balloons before the ceremony. Apprehensive about holding their wedding ceremony in the socially conservative city a year after they signed marriage papers in Britain, Chan and So were finally convinced by their pastor to hold a small-scale celebration. (Dale De La Rey / AFP)

Updated on May 18, 2018 12:09 PM

Choir members rehearse as a man sets up balloons before the ceremony. Apprehensive about holding their wedding ceremony in the socially conservative city a year after they signed marriage papers in Britain, Chan and So were finally convinced by their pastor to hold a small-scale celebration. (Dale De La Rey / AFP)

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C.P. So (centre R) and Alvin Chan (L) pose for a photograph with pastor Joe Pang before their ceremony. Like many other gay weddings in Hong Kong, this one was held behind closed doors, tucked away in a commercial space. Same-sex marriage is not legally recognised in Hong Kong and often those who have a ceremony say they prefer to do it away from the public gaze. (Dale De La Rey / AFP)

Updated on May 18, 2018 12:09 PM

C.P. So (centre R) and Alvin Chan (L) pose for a photograph with pastor Joe Pang before their ceremony. Like many other gay weddings in Hong Kong, this one was held behind closed doors, tucked away in a commercial space. Same-sex marriage is not legally recognised in Hong Kong and often those who have a ceremony say they prefer to do it away from the public gaze. (Dale De La Rey / AFP)

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C.P. So (2nd L) hugs one of the best men. Some family members choose to stay away, others are more commonly not told at all. “It’s quite sad,” Chan said, whose siblings attended the wedding but parents did not. “When you decide to get married, you really want to receive your family’s blessing but they have a traditional mindset, which is regrettable.” (Dale De La Rey / AFP)

Updated on May 18, 2018 12:09 PM

C.P. So (2nd L) hugs one of the best men. Some family members choose to stay away, others are more commonly not told at all. “It’s quite sad,” Chan said, whose siblings attended the wedding but parents did not. “When you decide to get married, you really want to receive your family’s blessing but they have a traditional mindset, which is regrettable.” (Dale De La Rey / AFP)

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Both aged 34, So and Chan say their Christian upbringings made them feel they had to keep their sexual identities and their relationship a secret. Chan says he still is not comfortable enough to come out to his parents like So. Their pastor has been trying to enable same-sex couples in Hong Kong to enjoy a wedding celebration despite the pressures and prejudices. (Dale De La Rey / AFP)

Updated on May 18, 2018 12:09 PM

Both aged 34, So and Chan say their Christian upbringings made them feel they had to keep their sexual identities and their relationship a secret. Chan says he still is not comfortable enough to come out to his parents like So. Their pastor has been trying to enable same-sex couples in Hong Kong to enjoy a wedding celebration despite the pressures and prejudices. (Dale De La Rey / AFP)

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It was he who officiated the ceremony, where the couple in matching blue suits and red bow ties, exchanged rings and kissed, cementing seven years together. Pang is from the gay-friendly Blessed Ministry Community church and issues marriage certificates recognised by some Christian groups. (Dale De La Rey / AFP)

Updated on May 18, 2018 12:09 PM

It was he who officiated the ceremony, where the couple in matching blue suits and red bow ties, exchanged rings and kissed, cementing seven years together. Pang is from the gay-friendly Blessed Ministry Community church and issues marriage certificates recognised by some Christian groups. (Dale De La Rey / AFP)

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Pang said he has married more than 50 gay couples in Hong Kong, now conducting one or two same-sex weddings each month, up from just one in 2015. Homosexuality was only decriminalised in Hong Kong in 1991, and despite a vibrant gay scene and an annual pride parade, conservative attitudes still run deep in Chinese traditions. (Dale De La Rey / AFP)

Updated on May 18, 2018 12:09 PM

Pang said he has married more than 50 gay couples in Hong Kong, now conducting one or two same-sex weddings each month, up from just one in 2015. Homosexuality was only decriminalised in Hong Kong in 1991, and despite a vibrant gay scene and an annual pride parade, conservative attitudes still run deep in Chinese traditions. (Dale De La Rey / AFP)

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Alvin Chan throws a bouquet of flowers during his wedding ceremony. “The road they’ve walked has been difficult, and I think society has a responsibility to listen to gay people,” Chan told AFP. Outlawing discrimination based on sexual orientation has been proposed in the city’s legislature, but is yet to materialise. (Dale De La Rey / AFP)

Updated on May 18, 2018 12:09 PM

Alvin Chan throws a bouquet of flowers during his wedding ceremony. “The road they’ve walked has been difficult, and I think society has a responsibility to listen to gay people,” Chan told AFP. Outlawing discrimination based on sexual orientation has been proposed in the city’s legislature, but is yet to materialise. (Dale De La Rey / AFP)

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Guests eat next to a board of Polaroid photographs. The Hong Kong government is currently appealing a landmark court decision to grant a British lesbian the spousal right to live and work in the territory. (Dale De La Rey / AFP)

Updated on May 18, 2018 12:09 PM

Guests eat next to a board of Polaroid photographs. The Hong Kong government is currently appealing a landmark court decision to grant a British lesbian the spousal right to live and work in the territory. (Dale De La Rey / AFP)

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So and Chan feel their society is changing, but still has a long way to go before members of the community feel safe to celebrate same-sex relationships openly. Getting married they said, was not just a special day for them, but was also about being role models. “We just want to show other people that it’s okay to come out as gay,” Chan said. (Dale De La Rey / AFP)

Updated on May 18, 2018 12:09 PM

So and Chan feel their society is changing, but still has a long way to go before members of the community feel safe to celebrate same-sex relationships openly. Getting married they said, was not just a special day for them, but was also about being role models. “We just want to show other people that it’s okay to come out as gay,” Chan said. (Dale De La Rey / AFP)

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