It was a day Alvin Chan and his partner C.P. So had never imagined possible — tying the knot in front of cheering family and friends in Hong Kong. Apprehensive about holding a wedding ceremony in the socially conservative city a year after they signed marriage papers in Britain, Chan and So were finally convinced by their pastor to hold a small-scale celebration. But like many other gay weddings in Hong Kong, it was held behind closed doors, tucked away in a commercial space in the fashionable district of Sheung Wan. Same-sex marriage is not legally recognised in Hong Kong and often those who have a ceremony say they prefer to do it privately, away from the public gaze.