(Philadelphia, PA) - On Sunday November 5, 2006 at the Courtyard by Marriott near City Hall in Philadelphia, Rainbow Wedding Network (RWN) returns for the second year to produce Philadelphia's 2nd Annual Same Love, Same Rightsô LGBT Wedding and Family Expo. This year's event will now celebrate the New Jersey State Supreme Court ruling in Mark Lewis, et al. v. Gwendolyn L. Harris et al. The ruling, handed down at 3 PM on Wednesday, October 25, 2006, stated that same-sex couples should be afforded the same benefits and rights as legally married, heterosexual couples.
"The Expo has been in the planning stages for months," states RWN co-owner Cindy Sproul. "We scheduled the event in hopes that the NJ ruling would in fact correspond, and the timing's worked out perfectly. We are thrilled with the momentum now in the Northeast regarding marriage equality, and look forward to celebrating the excitement with couples and other equality advocates on November 5th."
RainbowWeddingNetwork.com is the country's oldest online GLBT wedding and gift registry and the publisher of Rainbow Wedding Network Magazine, a full color quarterly dedicated to LGBT couples, families and equal marriage allies.
Rainbow Wedding Network works nationwide to support equal marriage rights and provide resources for GLBT couples and families from Boston to Atlanta through Same Love, Same Rightsô events and fundraisers.
"I am originally from just across the state line in New Jersey," says event coordinator Sarah Benoit, "Both Philadelphia and New Hope are close to my heart because I came of age as a member of the LGBT community in these places."
"The decision in New Jersey is a significant one and we are so excited to see equality become a priority in NJ," Benoit continues. "Our focus for every Expo is to connect with and contribute to the local community," states RWN co-owner Cindy Sproul. "My wife Marianne and I believe community networking is essential. We support this concept in every city," she continues.
Earlier events RWN produced this year resulted in over $1200 of contributions to local organizations working toward GLBT equality, health and family rights.
Philadelphia's 2nd Annual Same Love, Same Rightsô GLBT Wedding and Family Expo will feature over 40 wedding, travel, life planning and family resources. Guests will enjoy live DJ's, music, food and talk directly with vendors one on one. Bishop John Selders, of the HRC Religion and Faith Program in Washington DC, will speak at 3 PM, along with the Center for Lesbian and Gay Civil Rights, and at 3:30 PM the Philadelphia based PASSIONAL Boutique will present a sexy and romantic, post-Halloween fashion show.
The Expo is free to the public. Couples, straight allies and kids are always welcome. For more information visit www.RainbowWeddingExpo.com.
