In a landmark moment for LGBTQ+ rights in Albania, Edlira Mara and Alba Ahmetaj, a same-sex couple, celebrated their love in a symbolic wedding ceremony on the evening of May 19. The ceremony took place on the terrace of Tirana City Hall, with both brides elegantly dressed in wedding gowns.

The couple’s union was officiated by two British pastors, marking a significant event despite the current legal restrictions in Albania, which do not recognize same-sex marriages. The intimate ceremony was attended by their 3-year-old twin daughters, born through in vitro fertilization.

Having been together for 14 years, Edlira and Alba took the brave step of submitting a formal request to the civil registry to be legally married. While they have yet to receive an official response, Alba stated that they anticipate a denial given the existing legal framework.

A representative from the civil registry confirmed that no legal marriage between same-sex partners can be recognized under current Albanian law. The couple secured the terrace for their ceremony by initially applying in Edlira’s name, without specifying the nature of the wedding, arguing that every taxpayer has the right to use public spaces.

Andy Fitchet, one of the pastors who participated in the non-legal wedding ceremony, attended a press conference today. Addressing accusations questioning his clerical status, Fitchet reaffirmed his position as a pastor, dismissing any claims to the contrary.

The symbolic marriage has also drawn reactions from the Catholic Church in Albania. A church spokesperson clarified that the individual dressed in Catholic clerical attire at the ceremony was not affiliated with the Catholic Church and did not represent its views.