WATCH: THE UK’S FIRST GAY WEDDING

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Sinclair Treadway and Sean Adl-Tabatabai exchange rings in Camden, London

Same-sex marriage finally became a reality in England and Wales over the weekend, with possibly the first historic wedding taking place in London.

The legislation legalising same-sex marriage in England and Wales was passed in July last year, but only came into effect on Saturday.

At the stroke of midnight, Sinclair Treadway, 20, and Sean Adl-Tabatabai, 32, became among the first gay couples to get married in the UK.

They were wed at the Camden Town Hall, north London in part by the Mayor of Camden, Jonathan Simpson, who described the event as “another huge step in civil rights for our country and also an acknowledgement that love conquers all.”

Speaking after they tied the knot, Treadway, said: “Hopefully one day we’ll look back in the future and we won’t still be fighting for rights but we’ll all be accepted”

On Saturday morning, Prime Minister David Cameron tweeted: “Congratulations to the gay couples who have already been married – and my best wishes to those about to be on this historic day.”

In an article for PinkNews, Cameron wrote that, “the introduction of same-sex civil marriage says something about the sort of country we are. It says we are a country that will continue to honour its proud traditions of respect, tolerance and equal worth. It also sends a powerful message to young people growing up who are uncertain about their sexuality.”

The head of the Anglican Church, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, told the Guardian newspaper that while the Church of England would still not marry gay couples it would no longer fight the legality of same-sex marriage in the UK.

“I think the church has reacted by fully accepting that it’s the law, and should react on Saturday by continuing to demonstrate in word and action, the love of Christ for every human being,” he said.

Same-sex marriage was approved by the Scottish Parliament in February and the first weddings there will take place later this year. Northern Ireland has yet to legalise same-sex marriage.

According to the results of a BBC Radio 5 poll released on Saturday, 68% of Britons said that gay marriage should be allowed. Of the 1,007 people surveyed, about one in five said that they would refuse an invitation to a same-sex wedding.

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