Same-sex couples on how equal marriage law changed their lives
One member of a samesex couple has said marriage was not a part of their "vocabulary" before milestone legislation introduced in England and Wales allowed same-sex partners to legally marry for the first time 10 years ago.
The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 introduced civil marriage for samesex couples in England and Wales, with the first taking place on March 29 2014.
Antony and David Lowbridge-Ellis, both 41, from Wednesbury in the West Midlands, said the legislation was a "major milestone" adding they thought marriage "would never be on the cards" for them.
The couple held their wedding 364 days after the first same-sex marriages took place, noting it was "the last day of the first full year of marriage equality".
David, a director of school improvement for the Matrix Academy Trust, told the PA news agency: "Growing up gay, I always thought that marriage would never be on the cards.
"I knew I would never marry a woman so I thought marriage was not a part of my vocabulary, but then marriage had entered my vocabulary because of samesex marriage being possible."
David said he never entertained the idea of a civil partnership because marriage "has to be about true equality", adding that he used to "hate" going to weddings as a child.
"I used to go to family weddings and I can't tell you how much I used to hate going to weddings because I felt like this would be something I would never be able to have for myself, so there was a degree of jealousy there," he said.
"As soon as it became possible, those thoughts started evaporating quite quickly."
Antony, head of communications for a construction joint venture, said it is "so important" that they mark and celebrate their wedding anniversary every year in order to act as "role models" for the next generation.
"We always try to do something and our friends and family know it's really special and important to us," he said.
"I want people to grow up knowing that it's okay to love who you want to love and you should expect to have the same as what everyone else can have, we shouldn't be any different."
The pair were married in the Library of Birmingham nine years ago, saying the date of their wedding was a "happy accident".
"We planned it for March 28 and when we worked out that it was exactly 364 days of equal marriage, we thought it was perfect to end the first year of equal marriage with us getting married," Antony said.
Meanwhile, Adam O'Leary, 35, and Ben Amponsah, 55, from Manchester, told PA marriage was an "abstract concept" before the milestone legislation.
The couple married at the Bluecoats Art Gallery in Liverpool in September 2014, with Mr O'Leary saying marriage was not something he had considered until the pair met in 2012.