Northern Ireland: First same-sex marriage couple 'living the dream'
Robyn Peoples, 26, and Sharni Edwards, 27, make history after marrying in Co Antrim following a landmark law change.
Tuesday 11 February 2020 21:53, UK
The first couple to tie the knot in a same-sex marriage in Northern Ireland have said it was an "incredible" experience and they are "living the dream".
Robyn Peoples, 26, and Sharni Edwards, 27, wed at a ceremony in a hotel in Carrickfergus, Co Antrim, following a landmark law change.
After a long campaign for reform in Northern Ireland, the controversial issue of same-sex marriage was legalised at Westminster by MPs during an absence of a government at Stormont.
Tuesday marks their sixth anniversary as a couple and they had booked a civil partnership ceremony at the hotel months before the legislation was passed last summer.
When it became clear the first same-sex weddings could take place in Northern Ireland this week, they changed their ceremony to a civil marriage.
"We didn't expect to be the first couple, it's coincidental," said Sharni Edwards-Peoples, a waitress from Brighton.
"Today is our six-year anniversary so we wanted to go ahead with a civil partnership but when the bill was passed it was perfect timing and it was a complete coincidence, a happy coincidence, we couldn't be more grateful."
She said it was a "surreal" feeling with the media coverage they were receiving, and added: "We are literally living the dream, it's incredible."
Robyn Edwards-Peoples, a senior care worker from Belfast, said: "For Northern Ireland we need to be the face of the people to show everyone it's OK.
"We fought so long and hard for this opportunity to be seen as equal and now we are here and it's just amazing."
She added: "It's just to show that we are equal to a man and a woman, our love is just the same, it's no different.
"Sometimes people might try to say it's not. Our love is the exact same, and this means everything to us.
"Now we are married and we have this opportunity - this is my wife, I can finally say she is my wife and we have had our marriage."
Robyn Edwards-Peoples, who blamed the opposition of local politicians for delaying changes to marriage legislation, thanked those who had lobbied for change.
She said: "If it wasn't for them guys we wouldn't be sat here right now, we just want to say thank you to everyone... everyone who has marched and signed petitions, everyone who has helped us get to this stage, we just want to say thank you."
The couple, who both wore white bridal gowns, are now planning a two-week honeymoon in Cyprus.