Gay Marriage Arrives In Britain – No Flooding Or Winged Horsemen Of Death, So Far (PICTURES)

Gay Marriage Arrives In Britain, The World Has Not Ended
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Actor Andrew Wale (left) and guesthouse owner Neil Allard following their wedding service in the Music Room of the Royal Pavilion, Brighton, as the new law permitting same sex marriage in England and Wales comes into force.
Gareth Fuller/PA Wire

As Britain's first same-sex marriages took place at the stroke of midnight on Saturday, the nation has so far avoided plagues, pestilence and winged horsemen of death.

Instead of flooding and the end of days, as former UKIP councillor David Silvester predicted earlier this year, Britain has instead been treated with glorious sunshine as same sex couples were able to wed for the first time.

Hundreds of people turned out in the early hours of this morning to celebrate the momentous occasion, hailed by campaigners and politicians as a step towards "respect, tolerance and equal worth."

The gay rights charity Stonewall tweeted emotional images of happy couples celebrating the news.

On Saturday #equalmarriage was trending on social media sites, as thousands took to Twitter to voice their opinion on the law change.

Politicians from the main three parties have also hailed the change in law.

David Cameron said the move sent a message that people were now equal "whether gay or straight" and took to Twitter Saturday to congratulate the newlyweds.

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg added that "Britain will be a different place" as a result of the law change and spoke of his pride of being part of the reform.

"If our change to the law means a single young man or young woman who wants to come out, but who is scared of what the world will say, now feels safer, stronger, taller - well, for me, getting into coalition government will have been worth it just for that," he said.

Labour leader Ed Miliband added it was an "incredibly happy time" for couples as well as "an incredibly proud time for our country."

One of the first couples to take advantage of the law change were married at Islington Town Hall in London just after midnight.

Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell acted as chief witness at a packed ceremony as Peter McGraith and David Cabreza wed after 17 years together.

Mr Tatchell said the couple and all the others getting married had "made history" and "made Britain a more tolerant, equal place".

Rainbow flags will be hung all over the country to celebrate the occasion, with one flying at the heart of Westminster. The flag - adopted as a symbol of the gay community in 1970s' San Francisco - was being flown above the Cabinet Office and Scotland Office. Scotland has also legislated to allow same-sex marriages, with the first ceremonies expected to take place later this year.