The National Carillion's annual Valentine's Day concert was marred by heavy rains, forcing dozens of couples to abandon the special occasion on the lake shore.
More than 150 couples were expected at Aspen Island in Kings Park last night to hear the sounds of this year's recital featuring carillonist Astrid Bowler, who was scheduled to perform a range of romantic songs by the likes of Mozart and Carmen.
NCA exhibition facilities manager Seona Doherty said the island was a popular wedding venue.
Almost 150 couples were married there last year and Ms Doherty said many newlyweds returned to the site where they made their wedding vows.
For Ivan Hinton and Chris Teoh, who managed to hear some of the soothing sounds on the lake shore before the rain hit, yesterday was just another day to show their love for one another.
Almost four years ago the couple flew to Canada with family to get legally married there.
Though they celebrated their union in Canberra with almost 200 friends and family, they long for the day their relationship can legally be recognised in Canberra, where they reside. Two separate bills to legalise same-sex marriage were introduced to federal parliament this week. Mr Hinton said growing support for the marriage equality campaign was proof Australians were ready to give equal rights to all.
But Mr Hinton also said Valentine's Day still made part of the population feel inadequate and alone.
Mr Hinton and Mr Teoh openly shared their affection for one another yesterday at the Aspen Island among about a dozen other couples.
''We've got a heritage of there being resistance or fear or loathing of gay people and that's something that gay people live with every day,'' Mr Hinton said.
''They can't feel comfortable expressing themselves in front of others.
''It's as simple a thing as holding hands. But society, our history, has reinforced with us that that form of expression is somehow wrong.
''I feel like I could be offending someone just because I'm expressing some form of affection with the love of my life.''
The couple say they feel more comfortable expressing themselves in Canberra than they do in other places around the country.
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