First Same-Sex Marriages

Date: March 29, 2014 • Location: London, United Kingdom

The first same-sex marriages in England and Wales took place following the passage of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013. Same-sex marriage is legal in all parts of the United Kingdom. As marriage is a devolved legislative matter, different parts of the United Kingdom legalised at different times; it has been recognised and performed in England and Wales since March 2014, in Scotland since December 2014, and in Northern Ireland since January 2020. Civil partnerships, which offer most, but not all, of the rights and benefits of marriage, have been recognised since 2005. The United Kingdom was the sixteenth country in Europe and the 27th in the world to allow same-sex couples to marry nationwide. Polling suggests that a majority of British people support the legal recognition of same-sex marriage.Legislation to allow same-sex marriage in England and Wales was passed by the House of Commons on a 366–161 vote on 21 May 2013. It passed its final stages in the Parliament of the United Kingdom in July 2013 and took effect on 13 March 2014. The first same-sex marriages took place on 29 March 2014.