The first gay wedding in France will take place in Montpellier on the 29th of May. The city has been long known as the most gay-friendly place in France, so it should come as no surprise that the first gay marriage is to be held there.

The lucky couple are Vincent Autin (40), president of Gay Pride Montpellier,  and his longterm partner Bruno (30). They will be wed by the mayor Hélène Mandroux. The road to gay marriage in France wasn’t an easy one. While many other countries in Western  Europe had already legalised gay marriage, and in some cases adoption by gay parents, ‘the land of freedom, equality and brotherhood’ has had many opposing the law.

Vincent Autin and Bruno

For months the streets in Paris were filled with protesters against gay marriage, but fortunately president François Hollande made good on his election promises and supported the gay marriage law, which passed only recently.

As longtime supporters of marriage equality, the news couldn’t have been better for the couple who have been together for seven years. It also comes with great timing as they will be tying the knot days before the Montpellier Gay Pride, with the main event on Saturday, June 1st. They will finally be able to celebrate Pride as husbands.

In the words of Vincent: “We are going to say ‘YES,’ I will finally be able to tell him ‘I DO,’ he will finally be able to tell me so as well. Thousands of couples all across the country will finally be able to say their ‘I DO’s.’ It’s a great victory of love over hate!”

We wish the happy couple many years of happiness and hope that slowly but surely the rest of the world will follow in the footsteps of countries such as the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, France and others.