After 15 years together, Allen Jones and Dits Preece were married at their home in Platte Saline on the tiny island of Alderney on Saturday.
It is the first same-sex wedding on the isle after Channel Island voted to legalise marriage equality in October last year, with that decision becoming law last week.
Allen and Dits, both in their 70s, had decided to delay getting married until it was legal on their home island.
They told BBC News that the wedding “ties a lot of loose ends up,” adding that they were excited to enjoy their honeymoon.
“We’re having part of it in Royal Tunbridge Wells with friends of ours and then the other half we’re celebrating with friends in Lanzarote at the end of this year,” said Allen, whose surname will now be used by his husband as well.
Their wedding rings were made with the island’s granite which the couple said was “special”.
“We’ve incorporated the islands into our own personal life because it will be with us wherever we go,” Allen said.
The first ever same sex marriage in Alderney took place this morning. Dits Preece and Allen Jones tied the knot after 15 years together. 👬🎉 pic.twitter.com/dO87LsgyJq
— BBC Guernsey (@BBCGuernsey) June 16, 2018
After the ceremony, the newlyweds led a cavalcade of cars around the island in an open top Volkswagen Beetle as the town turned out to cheer and serenade the couple.
“It’s been a long time coming,” Allen said. “The amount of wedding cakes we’ve had to throw away just waiting for the occasion to come along and all of a sudden it’s here!
“It’s just brilliant.”
