At Manchester Monastery we have always welcomed LGBTQ+ weddings. We are a gender-friendly wedding venue and we want your whole journey with us to be a magical part of the process.
Whether you want to shake it up and throw the rule book out of the window or you want a more traditional feel, we want to make the day unforgettable and truly yours.
LGBTQ+ History and Heritage in Manchester
Our rich LGBTQ+ history and heritage is one big reason to get married in Manchester, a city which has played a big part in campaigning for the equality of the LGBTQ+ community in the UK.
Victorian Manchester had a drag scene. Back in 1880, men attended a fancy-dress ball at the Temperance Hall in Hulme. The music and covered windows brought the event to the attention of the police. They raided the ball and arrested 47 men. Many of the men arrested were wearing women’s clothing.
In the fifties, The Union pub on the corner of Canal Street was a popular place for gay people to meet (with its obscured glass windows). Canal Street became the centre of Manchester’s renowned Gay Village. Sixties Manchester was the birthplace of the Campaign for Homosexual Equality and the first gay and lesbian bars opened. There was tireless campaigning in Manchester through the 80s and 90s.
We are SO proud of our LGBTQ+ community.
