• by Erik Sass , Staff Writer @eriksass1, October 25, 2017

The only question is why it took so long. An Australian publisher is launching what it claims is the world’s first bridal magazine targeting lesbian couples (or daydreaming singles), titled “Dancing With Her.”

Based Down Under, the magazine also covers the U.S. wedding planning industry, offering a directory of LGBT-friendly wedding services stateside, as well as in Australia.

Dancing With Her is an independent magazine created by an Australian couple, Tara Baker and Arlia Hassell, who noted the lack of LGBT-themed bridal mags when trying to plan their own nuptials last year. The debut edition of the magazine, over 100 pages long, carries a newsstand price of $19 Australian per issue ($14.77 U.S. at current exchange rates. delivery also doubles the price for international subscribers.) 

The title ticks off all the must-haves of the bridal category, including lush photography of bridal gowns and clothing for the wedding party, destination weddings, themed weddings and inspirational stories of lesbian couples who wed. The online Dancing with Her directory includes recommendations for fashion, cakes, stationery, catering, venues, florists, jewelry, and photographers, although the U.S. side is a bit light at launch.

 The magazine’s debut comes as Australian voters may well vote to legalize gay marriage in the country in a nationwide postal ballot, sometimes termed a referendum.

According to Australia’s Bureau of Statistics, around three-quarters of the voting population, a total of 12 million people, have already cast their votes in the postal poll, which is schedule to remain open until November 7. The Liberal government of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has promised to propose a law in Parliament to legalize gay marriage if a majority of Australians vote in favor in the postal poll.

Separately, the steady toll on legacy print magazines also continued this month, with another well-regarded niche magazine closing up shop. This time, the victim is Climb magazine in the UK market. Climb was already in trouble in August, when it announced that it was folding its print edition after the September-October issue and going digital-only. Now, the publisher is pulling the plug on the digital edition after just one issue.

Dating back to the 1970s, Climb’s antecedents through mergers included Climber, Crags, High Mountain Sports and On the Edge magazines. The magazine’s publishers cited the move of the climbing enthusiast audience to digital platforms and publications as part of the reason for the shuttering.