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France will embrace its first gay wedding on Wednesday, less than two weeks after President Francois Hollande signed the law on gay marriage and adoption.
The first French gay couple, 40-year-old Vincent Aubin and Bruno Boileau in his 30s, will celebrate their wedding in Montpellier, southern France, a city seen by French gays and lesbians as the harbor of gay love.
Media reports said 600 quests and 130 accredited journalist will attend the first gay marriage in France.
Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, government spokeswoman and minister for women's rights confirmed to the press on Tuesday her participation, with the "consent of the Prime Minister,"in Wednesday's first gay weddingceremony in Montpellier.
Prime Minnister Jean-Marc Ayrault cheered the first wedding of the gay couple, saying "it is a nice gesture to participate in this event."
"If you're available, you want to go," he told reporters after attending a Socialist group weekly meeting, adding that the wedding ceremony would be a joyful and festive moment for the new couple to share with others their happiness.
The ceremony will be chaired by Montpellier's mayor Helene Mandroux in the city hall.
Although having dated for five years, once the moment comes, "it could be intimidating," Boileau said. "But we will try to retain the spirit of the goal -- equality for all. That Mister or Miss Anybody can get married in the town hall."
France legalized the law opening marriage and adoption to same-sex couples on May 18 after months' hot debates between supporters and opponents.
The controversial law has taken tens of thousands of French citizen, mainly the right-wingers and religious groups, to the street to fight against it since last autumn.
The new law, which is one of President Hollande's major campaign pledge, is the most important social reform in France since the abolition of the death penalty in 1981, making France the ninth country in Europe and the 14th globally to legalize same-sex marriage.
People protest against the France's new gay marriage law in Paris, France, on May 26, 2013.(Xinhua/Zheng Suchun)
However, the promulgation of the new law did not stop opponents demonstrating their disagree.
On Sunday, some 150,000 protesters marched on the street in central Paris to show their continued fight against the gay marriage law.Hundreds of protesters clashed with police and 293 of them were arrested for involving in violence.
To avoid further protests and clashes, as the wedding day is coming, local authorities announced that no other festival activities would be held outside the wedding ceremony site.
