A gay couple have released a video of their wedding in New York that was shown at the first public same-sex marriage celebration in Malaysia.

Reverend O Young Wen Feng (also known as Ngeo Boon Lin) and Phineas Newborn III celebrated their marriage at a Chinese banquet hall in Kuala Lumpur for 250 guests on Saturday.

The wedding celebration was a powerful statement in a country where leading politicians regularly make profoundly homophobic statements.

In the video of their wedding in New York, Boon says to Newborn:

‘Phineas, it’s not easy to be gay, not even in the United States let alone in my home country, Malaysia. But I am so glad that I have come out of fear, because by coming out, I found you.’

Holding back tears, Newborn tells Boon during the ceremony, ‘I believe you came into my life to help me define who I was really meant to be’ and says Boon is ‘the greatest reward for having to endure some of the greatest struggles of my life’.

Warch the video here: