A COUPLE have tied the knot at a Warrington's church's first same-sex wedding.

Elaine Marsden and Gail Ormson were married at St John’s United Reformed Church on Wilderspool Causeway on Saturday, December 1.

The Orford couple’s wedding is believed to be the first same-sex marriage to have taken place in the church.

Gail, 49, proposed to Elaine during a night out on Canal Street in Manchester two years ago.

They first met through friends around 14 years ago.

Elaine, 56, said: “It was the usual thing when we met - we just both went to a party and got talking.

“When we decided to get engaged about two years ago, we couldn’t decide what we wanted to do.

“We were exploring the options, because you can do anything now - whether that’s a hotel wedding, or going up to Gretna Green.

“Both of us felt that it was important to get married in a church, because it would feel more like a wedding.”

Gail and Elaine jetted off on a two-week honeymoon to Mexico on Monday, December 3.

St John’s was registered to perform same-sex marriages earlier this year, with Gail and Elaine’s wedding being the first to have taken place there.

Cairo Street Unitarian Chapel in the town centre is also registered to perform such ceremonies.

Many of the parishioners at St John’s attended the wedding on Saturday.

Elaine added: “It’s is a lovely place - everybody is really inclusive and friendly.

“I can’t tell you how supportive people have been.

“A lot of the parishioners have really been looking forward to it - they’ve been quite excited.

“When we’ve been coming to church every week, they’ve been doing a countdown with us.

“The previous minister here had been lobbying for it for quite a long time, and she has been allowed to come back and marry us - it’s quite a testament to her.”

Jan Tudor, a colleague of Elaine’s at Warrington Borough Council who attended the service, added: “It was a perfect day.

“It was a lovely service and the church were thrilled as well.”