A gay couple has made history by marrying in France today (29 May).

The grooms Vincent Autin and Bruno Boileau got married despite several people threatening to ruin the wonderful occasion. They were soon stopped by the police outside.

Visably emotional during the ceremony, the couple were united in front of 600 people including friends, family, activists, journalists and government ministers.

As Love and Marriage filled the room, Autin made a short speech thanking supporters and his family.

‘Love yourselves, let’s love ourselves, because it’s important,’ he said.

After the ‘Marriage for All’ bill was passed 10 days ago, Autin, 40, a gay rights activist and Boileau, 30, a civil servant, longed to be the first gay couple in the country to get married.

They hired the outfits, bought the rings, and organized the DJ, the transport and everything else a marriage needs as soon as it was passed into law.

‘This is not about Vincent and Bruno, this is about equality under the law,’ Autin said at a press conference. ‘This is for all the people who have fought for the right to say “I do”.’

Security is expected to be tight, as it follows last weekend’s nationwide protest against same-sex marriage. Over 150,000 people are believed to have participated in the last-ditch protest against the law.

Last September, Women’s Minister Najat Vallaud-Belkacem visited Montpelier and asked Autin if he would like to be the first groom, and he immediately said yes.

The couple, who have been living together for seven years, met online on a Christophe Willem fan site, a French singer who won the reality competition show La Nouvelle Star.

Some of the fans agreed to meet up in Paris, and Autin and Boileau met and fell in love.

After the wedding, they will start looking into adopting a child.

Mayor HélÃ¨ne Mandroux told the Nouvel Observateur the marriage was not a political act.

He said: ‘Through the union of Vincent and Bruno, we’re living a major advance for society. A major discrimination is disappearing.

‘As a doctor by profession, I’ve always felt that to be discriminated against because of sexual orientation was unacceptable.

‘Vincent Autin says it’s the victory of love over hate, and I can only agree.’