In a historic ceremony broadcast live on French television Wednesday, the first gay couple to marry in France said “oui,” then sealed the deal with a lengthy and very public kiss.    

    THE French city of Montpellier witnessed history Wednesday when its mayor officiated the nation’s first same-sex wedding in front of hundreds of guests.

    Vincent Autin and Bruno Boileau exchanged vows at a ceremony in the southern city, watched by some 500 guests seated on brightly colored chairs.

    Autin, 40, is the head of the region’s Lesbian and Gay Pride association, and he says his wedding to Boileau, 30, marks a big step forward for same-sex equality.

    In the nervous minutes leading up to their ceremony in the southern city of Montpellier, Boileau said he adored Autin’s “charisma, his ability to appease me, calm me down ... also his sensibility and his determination.”

    “When French children are born into this world, they are born with the same rights as everyone else — but from the moment you said you were a homosexual, society deprived you of some of those rights,” Autin said on their wedding day.

    “Today the French Republic has given these rights back to us, the ones they had taken away, and it has put an end to an institutional discrimination.”

    Their marriage is not just about their love, however. They also want to build a family and, perhaps, teach future generations how to break down prejudices.

    “We want children, we want to pass down values that are important to us, that we hold dear, that are right. And we want grandchildren and great-grandchildren, a real family,” Autin said.

    “One of the reasons we want children is because children have no judgement, and we want to break down society’s barriers.”

    Autin, who works for Montpellier’s tourism office, expressed his gratitude to those who had helped win the controversial right for same-sex couples to marry.

    “We are very nervous, but obviously excited. This is a step forward for France. What’s happened today is thanks to everybody who has been so mobilized over the past few months.”

    The change in the law has not been without its opponents, prompting sometimes-violent demonstrations of hundreds of thousands of people across France. “It’s very sad that they turned violent,” Autin said. “It’s always so surprising to feel so attacked, but you must remember this was a minority and most people are in favor. This proves that love can triumph over hatred.

    “So thankful to those who helped us come to this moment. Some of the people we’re referring to have passed away, such as Harvey Milk (the first openly gay American elected to public office) who was a great inspiration.”

    Autin described how the couple met seven years ago. While surfing the Internet at the same time, they both chanced on an online fan forum for a pop star who found fame on a show similar to “Pop Idol.” A group of people decided to go for lunch, after which he and Boileau, a civil servant, became inseparable.

    Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, minister of women’s rights and a government spokeswoman, was among those attending the landmark ceremony, reflecting the governing Socialist Party’s support for same-sex marriage. Montpellier’s mayor, Helene Mandroux, also belongs to the party.

    While France has allowed civil partnerships for some years, controversial legislation allowing same-sex couples to marry and adopt was signed into law by President Francois Hollande 12 days ago.

    However, the move has prompted fierce opposition from many social conservatives and the Catholic Church, with hundreds of thousands of people joining protest marches in Paris and other cities in recent months.

    While no official demonstrations were planned, there were concerns protesters would gather in Montpellier on Wednesday.

    About 200 police officers were mobilized around the city in case of trouble, Montpellier police said.

    On Sunday, a march against same-sex marriage in Paris attracted big crowds. Police put the turnout at 150,000, while the organizers estimated that a million people had turned out to fill the Esplanade des Invalides, a central plaza.

    Opposition lawmakers tried unsuccessfully to have the new law blocked by France’s highest court after it cleared the National Assembly and Senate.

    Some 200 journalists were accredited to cover the wedding, many from overseas, signaling the global interest in the social landmark represented by the marriage.

    Guillaume Bonnet, senior campaign manager in France for the equality group All Out, said he was honored to be a guest at the wedding on what he described as a historic day for his country.

    “We have shown that if we all work together anything is possible,” he said. “Now couples like Vincent and Bruno can create life full of love and family just like any other loving and committed couple.”

    France is the ninth country in Europe to allow same-sex marriage.

    If pending legislation in New Zealand and Uruguay is enacted as expected this year, the worldwide total of countries with legalized same-sex marriage will rise to 14.

    Many countries remain split over the issue. A Brazilian court issued a directive this month removing a barrier that had limited same-sex marriage, but no bill has made it through Congress.

    Legislators in the United Kingdom are also weighing proposals to legalize same-sex marriage. Lawmakers in Australia voted against a bill to legalize same-sex marriage last September. A poll for the advocacy group Australian Marriage Equality indicated that 64 percent of those surveyed “support marriage equality.”

    In the United States, the question went before the Supreme Court and justices are deliberating over the matter.

    Twelve U.S. states and the District of Columbia have legalized same-sex marriages. On the other side, many states have specific laws blocking same-sex couples from legally marrying.(SD-Agencies)