Susan Green and Brenda Halley chose the Anglican Cathedral of St. John The Baptist as their church 12 years ago, little realizing that they would be part of history.

But earlier this month the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist—the oldest Anglican parish in Canada, founded in 1699—has performed its first same-sex marriage ceremony, their marriage ceremony.

The couple has been together for 18 years and knew the church was friendly, because one of the church leaders, a deacon who is openly gay, was accepted by the church community.

Green says the Cathedral is what she calls “an interesting blend of history and tradition, modernity and progression.”

Archdeacon and rector of the Cathedral, the Venerable Roger Whelan says the ceremony was a long time coming.

While the Anglican Church of Canada has not approved same-sex marriage at a national level, the dioceses were given permission to make their own decision whether to allow same-sex marriages at their churches.