Love is love says first gay couple married in a High Peak church

A wedding is a big day, but for Karen Bradshaw and Justine Linden they made history when they tied the knot at Buxton Methodist Church and became the first gay couple to be married in a HIgh Peak church.

The duo met on a dating app in November 2021 and on Saturday May, 27 they were legally married by Reverend Andrew Parker.

Justine said: “We have waited a lifetime for this. Fifty years ago there were riots in the streets and people were being arrested just for being gay and now we have got married in a church, something I never thought we would be able to do.”

Faith has been an important part of Justine’s life but she resigned herself to never being able to have her wedding in a church. However, Buxton Methodist Church voted to allow marriages between two same sex couples to be performed in church.

Justine said: “My faith is a big part of my life and I was told that loving another woman was a sin but love is love. You don’t just come out once you have to come out time and time again to new work colleagues, new friends and it really is exhausting and a lot of gay people have mental health problems because of this.

“So to be finally welcomed and accepted into the church is amazing and means a lifetime of people up and down the country fighting for equality has won because love is love.”

Karen, originally from Sheffield, said: “I knew the moment I laid eyes on her that she was the one. I had to keep quiet as I didn’t want to scare her away.”

The couple got engaged on Valentine’s Day 2022 and were looking to tie the knot at a registry office in Edinburgh.

Justine said: “None of the registry offices ever got back to us or returned our calls. So I prayed on it and was then told that Buxton Methodist Church were voting in favour of allowing gay marriage in the church.”

The duo, who live in Harpur Hill, planned a wedding with a difference. Karen said: “We didn’t want a stuffy church service or hymns people couldn’t sing along too and we wanted people to chat and mingle and be relaxed before the vows.”

After the service the pair had their reception at a pub in Harpur Hill where there was a barbecue, garden games and even a poker table and then jetted off on honeymoon on Monday.

Justine said: “To have the blessing of the church for our marriage really means the world to me. And thank you to Rev Andrew for voting to allow gay marriage in his church.”

Rev Andrew Parker added: “It is excellent the church has chosen to change its views on marriage.

“The church has been on this journey for many years and to welcome Justine and Karen as the first gay couple in a church in the High Peak is a real honour. Marriage is a celebration of love and God’s love and this union shows that no one is excluded from that love.”