Plan Your Berghain Bachelor Parties, Germany Just Legalized Gay Marriage

"Ich hore die Glocken. Nun, horst du sie nicht gern?" That's a rough German translation of the classic Hairspray lyric, "I can hear the bells. Well, don't you hear them chime?" Across the ocean in Germany, we hear those big gay bells chiming as the nation celebrates marriage equality. The surprise news comes after a short, but highly contentious debate over the issue in Parliament. Since 2001, the country had allowed same-sex couples to live together in civil unions, but this move will allow for greater freedom and access to fundamental rights for the LGBTQ community there.

Related | Germany Might Finally Legalize Same-Sex Marriage This Week

The vote, which passed 393 to 226, allows Germany to join more than a dozen European nations in legalizing same-sex marriage, including Ireland, Spain, and France. This also means all bachelor parties will now take place in Berghaign for the entire week before the wedding. If you're blindsided by the news of this measure passing into law, you're not alone.

The path toward legalization was unusually swift after Chancellor Angela Merkel surprised everyone by easing her conservative party's opposition to gay marriage and allowing lawmakers to "vote with their conscience" on it. Though Merkel ultimately voted against it, we still love her for making the move to ensure we'll be finding German husbands on our next trip abroad.

Germany's parliament has voted to legalise same-sex marriage and these people are celebrating. It means gay couples will have full marital rights and are now allowed to adopt children. Reuters #ehefuralle #pride #germany #love #bbcnews #photooftheday

A post shared by BBC News (@bbcnews) on Jun 30, 2017 at 3:35am PDT

In the opening floor debate, the parliamentary leader of the Social Democrats Thomas Oppermann said, "If the Constitution guarantees one thing, it is that anyone in this country can live as they wish. If gay marriage is decided, then many will receive something, but nobody will have something taken away."

The measure is set to go to the upper house of Parliament for formal approval and will need the signature of President Frank-Walter Steinmeier before being put into law in early fall, which gives you plenty of time to plan a trip, find a husband, and escape America once and for all.