Same-sex couples are still opting to hold their weddings in cottages, private manor houses and Tudor houses – with the trend showing little sign of declining any time soon.

This is according to Gay Wedding Show founder Gino Meriano, who says that gay couples are increasingly renting out entire manor houses for convenience reasons.

"The whole concept surrounding that [trend] is to have [the venue] exclusive to them, so they are able to go out and do what they like," he remarks.

Held on March 7th, this year’s Gay Wedding Show in London proved to be a resounding success, according to its organisers.

The London registered a 30 per cent surge in visitor numbers compared with 2009.

Most of the attendees were women, continuing a trend seen at last year’s Gay Wedding Show.

Mr Meriano says that between 800 and 1,000 civil partnerships take place in the UK every month.

Gay couples who missed out on the London edition of the Gay Wedding Show can catch it in Cardiff on October 3rd, Manchester on October 10th and Brighton on November 14th.

Tags: Gay Wedding Show, venues, Wedding, wedding reception, Weddings - Receptions & Venues