AN ISLE of Wight man married his boyfriend from India almost a year after India’s Supreme Court decriminalised same-sex relationships.

Nick Pillow, of Newport, met his partner, Amit Patil, three years ago while working as a theatre teacher in Mumbai.

The couple exchanged vows at Lisle Combe, St Lawrence, on June 22, witnessed by friends from around the world — including India, Tokyo, Singapore, Alaska, the USA, London and the IW.

Amit came out to his parents before meeting Nick, and although absent from the ceremony, they gave their blessing with a surprise lunch, and gifts of identical gold bracelets.

It was an 18-month process before the couple could marry, and although their marriage is not recognised in India, the new legislation means they can be a couple legally.

As a legal couple, they celebrated India's first Pride parade together, in November 2018, which Nick said was 'an amazing party' while 'at heart, a valuable protest'.

Both grooms wore tailored, blue suits, during the ceremony, that had been made in Mumbai, and traditional Indian kurtas with blue waistcoats for the evening reception.

Nick said: "One of my grooms-maids, Debs, wrote a poem for us, which was lovely. Amit is a lighting designer by profession, so he lit the gardens — they looked great."

The newlyweds chose to honeymoon in Scotland, not having the energy to apply for further visa applications after the hurdles they had already overcome.

Nick said: "We drove to the Orkneys from Inverness, and then the Cairngorms — why jet off around the world, when something so beautiful is right here on our doorstep?"