Gay couple 'refused church wedding 31 times' finally marry by the altar

13 November 2022, 18:43

A gay Christian couple turned down for a church wedding 31 times say they're "overjoyed" to have finally tied the knot.

Shane Yerrell, 39, and David Sparrey, 30, were accepted at the 32nd time of asking by Wanstead United Reformed Church in east London.

Tory councillor Yerrell told SWNS: "Honestly, I'd all but given up. But when I spoke to [Reverend Tessa Henry-Robinson] I was literally shouting with joy and jumping round the room.

"She said, 'Everyone deserves to marry the person they love' - and she's right."

Shane and David are Christians who attend church every six weeks - but still struggled to find a venue of their faith to accept them.

More than 100 guests piled into the United Reformed Church before another 40 partied at Waltham Abbey Town Hall.

Yerrell and Sparrey met through mutual friends in 2014 and began a relationship in 2016.

In celebratory Facebook posts since their wedding on October 21, Shane and David have hit back at a handful of rude comments posted on social media.

Shane wrote today: "Quite frankly I couldn’t give a s*** whether Mary from Sunderland approves or disapproves

"But a bit of advice for the future. If you have a negative or spiteful opinion, keep it to yourself.

"We got married in a church because we didn’t give up after the many rejections. Determination pays off in the end."