Senior local Conservatives are urging the prime minister to delay any parliamentary decision on gay marriage until after the next election.
More than 20 Conservative Association chairmen have signed a letter to be delivered to No 10 on Sunday.
It says they "fear that, if enacted, this bill will lead to significant damage to the Conservative Party in the run-up to the 2015 election".
The Commons votes next week on the government's plans for gay marriage.
The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill would enable same-sex couples to get married in both civil and religious ceremonies, where a religious institution had formally consented, in England and Wales.
It would also allow couples who have previously entered into civil partnerships to convert their relationship into a marriage.
Meanwhile, the Sunday Telegraph reports that some 180 Conservative MPs, including six whips and up to four members of the Cabinet, are ready to defy the prime minister's plan to legalise gay weddings.
End Quote Conservative Association chairmenWe feel very strongly that the decision to bring this Bill before Parliament has been made without adequate debate or consultation"
The delivery of the letter coincides with the launch of a new website that "seeks to prosper relationships and provide resources for local Conservatives concerned that the current leadership is losing touch with the core values of Conservatism".
In their letter, the current and recent chairmen, who describe themselves as "long-standing members of the Conservative Party, [who] want to support the Party to victory, as we have done in every past election" underline the depth of their concern over the impact of the plans on party morale and electoral appeal.
'No mandate'Writing "specifically out of our concerns about the growing discord within the Conservative Party over this issue", they also say "resignations from the party are beginning to multiply".
"We feel very strongly that the decision to bring this bill before Parliament has been made without adequate debate or consultation with either the membership of the Conservative Party or with the country at large.
"We are of the clear view that there is no mandate for this bill to be passed in either the 2010 Conservative Manifesto or the 2010 Coalition Agreement and that it is being pushed through Parliament in a manner which a significant proportion of Conservative Party members find extremely distasteful and contrary to the principles of both the party and the best traditions of our democracy."
They add: "More time should be afforded to debate an issue of such gravity… and a final decision on the matter should be postponed until after the 2015 general election when the public would have had the chance to vote on a clear manifesto pledge."
Also, Education Secretary Michael Gove has offered his support to the proposed legalisation of same-sex marriage but said teachers would not be disciplined for refusing to promote it.
"It's wrong to say that because of how you love and who you love, you are not entitled to the same rights as others. It's wrong because inequality is wrong," he wrote in the Mail on Sunday.
On Saturday, it emerged the government would not introduce a tax break for married couples in next month's Budget.
There had been speculation David Cameron would bring in the measure to appease Tory backbenchers who are opposed to gay marriage.
However, legislation is expected to be introduced before 2015 to allow couples to transfer part of their personal tax allowance to their partner.
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