Gay Wedding

Civil partnership, same-sex marriage . . . now's not the time to debate dry legal distinctions, because we're breaking out the bubbly to celebrate that joyous, rainbow-infused festival of love and togetherness: the Gay Wedding. The massed dapper ranks of the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus set the tone for the occasion with elegance and pre-party serenity ("Marry Us"), alongside their London counterparts, who offer a gorgeous rendition of "I Will Follow Him." After that, it's time to summon up a glittering parade of dancefloor divas including Lady Gaga ("Just Dance"), Madonna ("Hung Up"), Cher ("Believe") and Britney ("Gimme More"). Broadway belters and pop sparklers light up our Gay Wedding Next Steps.

Love is all you need for a Gay Wedding . . . but we wouldn't turn down a supplemental duet between Hugh Jackman and Jarrod Emick ("Love Don't Need a Reason") from the Original Broadway Cast recording of The Boy from Oz. And while we're at it, we might as well line up a bit of Babs, delivering her Funny Girl standard "People," a dash of Beyoncé, bringing out the angel in all of us with "Halo," and a glittery dusting of Kylie ("Your Disco Needs You"). Jill Sobule offers up her variation on the "I Kissed a Girl" theme, k.d. lang takes us to heart of devotion with "Close Your Eyes," and Sade seconds that emotion with "By Your Side." From country to Hi-NRG via Morrissey . . . your Gay Wedding Deep Cuts await.

Choosing a perfect list of Gay Wedding love songs means mixing up a spicy brew of flamboyance, tenderness, melodrama and timeless melody — so feel free to peruse this choice selection, which runs the gamut from the country love of Mary McBride, singing "No One's Gonna Love You Like Me" from the Brokeback Mountain soundtrack, to "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out" by the Smiths, and from Soft Cell's classic '80s reworking of the Northern Soul staple "Tainted Love" to Elvis Presley's evergreen expression of deep affection "Can't Help Falling In Love." And when you fancy a Hi-NRG boogie (and we know you will) here's Divine, with "You Think You're a Man."

All weddings demand a pitch-perfect playlist, but let's face it . . . when it comes to a Gay Wedding, the bar has to be raised just that little bit higher. Standards of taste and extravagance have been set to the max, and there's no point falling back on a straight cliché when the queer choice hits the sweet spot that much faster. For those moments when the happy couple look into each other's eyes and see a lifetime of togetherness, we've selected the likes of Tegan and Sara (a lovely live version of "When I Get Up") and Rufus Wainwright ("Want"); when you want to unite your friends and family with a camp country singalong, just turn to Tammy Wynette and "Stand By Your Man"; and when the time comes to dance your way through the night to a bright, love-filled future, you can't go wrong with Donna Summer, ABBA and Take That.