How the first same-sex married couple in Northern Ireland were boosted to stardom

On February 11, 2020 Robyn and Sharni Edwards-Peoples weren’t planning to get married.

The couple, who had been dating for six years, had lodged plans to have a civil partnership.

But after a council worker informed them that gay marriage was going to be legalised and they could marry instead if they preferred, they thought to themselves, ‘Why not?’

What was a simple decision turned into a five-year whirlwind, pushing them into the spotlight, garnering them recognition from people across the globe after becoming the first same-sex couple to marry in Northern Ireland.

On Tuesday, the couple marked their fifth wedding anniversary, and have spoken to Metro about the reflections of their wedding day now.

‘To be the first was scary because we had a weight on our shoulders,’ Robyn, 31, said.

‘We wanted to show the younger generation that it is fine and it’s normal.

‘When we were married at the start we always joked there’s no divorce now for us now.

‘At the time I felt a lot of pressure. Looking back it was just an opportunity for us to show people we’re just the same as everyone else.’

The wedding brought them not just pressure, but fame and admiration from home and abroad.

Robyn said: ‘We had fan pictures, people drawing pictures of our wedding.

‘They thanked us and because it wasn’t legal here as it isn’t legal in so many other countries.

‘We had people emailing us and messaging us on Instagram from places around the world.

‘We had mail from India where same-sex marriage isn’t legal.

‘People do recognise us when we go out on the gay scene in Belfast.

‘They congratulate us and thank us for putting themselves out there.’

Same-sex marriage became possible in Northern Ireland when the Stormont assembly collapsed.

Campaigners turned their attention to Westminster, and MPs backed an amendment to extend same-sex marriage to Northern Ireland.

The bill was then passed for England and Wales in a historic act of Parliament in July 2013.

It came into effect in March 2014, six years before Northern Ireland.

A separate bill in the Scottish Parliament meant same-sex marriage was also legalised in the country in March 2014.

They were scheduled to have a civil partnership on February 11 2020 registrar gave them the unexpected opportunity to wed instead.

Robyn and Sharni credit their historic marriage to help change attitudes towards the LGBT community in Northern Ireland.

But they said they did face outcry from Northern Ireland’s social and religious conservatives after their wedding.

Robyn added: ‘There was so much backlash when the bill was passed.

‘People weren’t happy. Families would just turn their back on their kids who are gay because of who they love.

‘Obviously Northern Ireland is a very Christian country. I do have friends who’ve been kicked out by the families and have dealt with a lot of it.

‘It’s hard to change someone’s opinion. I think people are afraid of what they don’t know.

‘People can have their own opinions, that’s absolutely fine.

‘But all I want is the same rights as every other person has in Northern Ireland and to call Sharni my wife.’

Robyn first began dating with Sharni, 32, who is originally from Brighton, eleven years ago.

The pair are now thinking about starting a family, something which their same-sex marriage makes more appealing.

Robyn said: ‘If we were to have a kid now, we can both go on the birth certificate. There is not be a big fight to be seen as a parent and equal to anyone else.

‘We can both be legal parents and have the same rights as each other.’

This pathway to building a family is one of the many benefits which same-sex marriage legislation has brought the LGBT community, say Robyn and Sharni.

The new normal has begun to shift attitudes towards LGBT issues in Northern Irish society and the married couple have seen enthusiasm for LGBT causes skyrocket since their wedding day.

‘Attitudes towards same sex marriage have changed.

‘It is no longer taboo. There’s a lot more younger people feeling confident about being LGBT.

‘I’m not going to say it’s changed everyone’s opinion and there’s not homophobia still around, but every year Pride in Belfast is getting bigger.

‘Ten years ago, it was very small and not many people were turning up just even to show their support. And now it’s crazy to see. You go down every year and you the growth and the people’s minds changing.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected].

For more stories like this, check our news page.