Blushing brides tie the knot in Dudley

The sun shone as Rebecca Billington-Green and Sarah-Louise Billington celebrated with their family just hours after new laws permitting same-sex marriage came into force.

The couple who live in Tipton were married in Priory Hall in Dudley – one week after their held a commitment ceremony at the same venue.

They posed for photographs in their ivory gowns outside the picturesque grade II listed register office with their family and 11-month-old son Jacob.

Rebecca, aged 31, a nurse at Coventry's Walsgrave Hospital, said it had been an 'emotional' day for them both.

"It was brilliant. It felt very special. It's nice to have our marriage recognised. It makes us equal to heterosexual couples which is important."

The couple met on a night out in Coventry three years ago. Then, in 2012, on a holiday in Corfu, Rebecca proposed to Sarah-Louise, 23, who works as a hairdresser at a salon in Dudley Port, near Tipton.

After the service the couple and their family went for a special lunch The Fellows pub, at the top of The Broadway near Dudley Castle, which is where they held their reception last week

The couple were able to take advantage of a special offer Dudley Council has been running where people can have a buy one and get one free service.

Staff at Priory Hall said they had received a lot of interest from gay couples looking to have a marriage ceremony at the venue.

Superintendent registrar Penny Fulford said: "We have had a steady stream of enquiries at Priory Hall about same sex marriages. The couples that we've talked to are thrilled to have the chance to get married rather than just have the option of a civil partnership."

Civil partnerships became legal in the UK in 2004. This gave same-sex couples the same legal recognition as heterosexual marriage.

On Saturday Prime Minister David Cameron tweeted: "Congratulations to the gay couples who have already been married – and my best wishes to those about to be on this historic day.