First same-sex wedding takes place in Northern Ireland

‘We didn’t set out to make history – we just fell in love,’ says Sharni Edwards

Two women from Belfast have become the first people ever to have a same-sex marriage in Northern Ireland.

Robyn Peoples, 26, and Sharni Edwards, 27, made history on Tuesday afternoon when they married at a hotel in Carrickfergus.

The newlyweds have been together for six years (PA)

The newlywed’s first dance was to a Nathan Sykes and Ariana Grande song, “Over and Over Again”, according to a reporter at the venue.

The pair have been in a relationship for six years and booked a civil partnership last summer, but changed the ceremony to a wedding after the law in Northern Ireland changed last month.

As of Monday 13 January, same-sex couples were able to register to marry in the country, and those who were already married had their union recognised by law.

This brings Northern Ireland into line with the rest of the UK. Same-sex marriages have been legal in England, Scotland and Wales since 2014.

The discrepancy was able to continue for six years because same-sex marriage was an issue devolved to Stormont, the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Ahead of the ceremony Ms Peoples, who is a care worker in Belfast, said: “We’re both nervous but very excited.”

Ms People and Ms Edwards’ wedding is a landmark moment for equal rights in Northern Ireland (PA)

“Our love is personal, but the law which said we couldn’t marry was political,” she said.

“We are delighted that with our wedding, we can now say that those days are over.

“While this campaign ends with Sharni and I saying ‘I do’, it started with people saying ‘No’ to inequality. By standing together, we’ve made history.”

Ms Edwards, a waitress from Brighton who did not even know the law was different in Northern Ireland until she moved to Belfast, added: “We feel humbled that our wedding is a landmark moment for equal rights in Northern Ireland.

“We didn’t set out to make history – we just fell in love.”

Asked why they think it took so long to happen, Ms Peoples said: “Our politicians. It’s been a religious battle between them, and not really very human so they sort of battled between each other and it took Westminster to push it forward and here we are, it’s happened.”