Our social norms are changing.

Byline: By Carol Malia

Tomorrow sees the "marriage" of Elton John and David Furnish.

Arrangements for civil partnerships come into force fully tomorrow and 700 couples across England and Wales will tie the knot, including this celeb couple, at Windsor Guildhall.

There has been the usual debate about gay marriage and whether it should be allowed.

Of course, this is a breakthrough for gay couples who want to show their commitment but how they will suffer if they ever harbour dreams of marrying before God.

I have reason to be grateful for civil ceremonies, my own wedding service having been conducted by a registrar this year. Without it I might not have been able to tie the knot at all after a period of quite upsetting intolerance from mainstream religions. My problem is that I am divorced, having made the mistake of getting married in my early 20s. Last Christmas, 15 years later, I tried to find a church willing to marry me and my boyfriend of 10 years and it was a very upsetting experience. I was made to feel like the great unwashed. They were very apologetic, apart from one who was outwardly rude. After explaining, via the telephone, to one vicarage warden that I was hoping to be married in church but was a divorcee, she replied: "Well, I doubt very much that he (the vicar) will be available to speak to you in that case."

I respect the church, having enjoyed a religious upbringing, and understand its moral values more as I mature but I cannot understand why it thinks it can continue to show rigid intolerance and unwillingness to acknowledge society's new norms.

Most of all, I am aggrieved it denied my husband a marriage in the eyes of God. I do think it's about time we were more accepting of people who are different from us. Dwindling congregations? Wonder why.