(CNN) -- Lavish weddings on soap operas are commonplace -- beautiful, wealthy characters united amid copious tears, heaps of flowers and exquisite attire. Actresses Tamara Braun and Eden Riegel take part in the wedding as depicted on ABC's "All My Children." Monday's ceremony on ABC's "All My Children" was much the same, except for the couple: Bianca Montgomery and Reese Williams, both wearing designer dresses, united in daytime television's first lesbian wedding. "When my character did first come out of the closet, there was a lot of negative reaction," said Eden Riegel, the actress who plays Bianca. Her character is the daughter of Erica Kane, a longtime mainstay on the show played by Susan Lucci.
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"All My Children" episode features characters who take part in a lesbian wedding
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Ceremony features both women wearing designer dresses and holding red roses
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Gay and lesbian groups hail the televised wedding as a victory
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At least one religious group expresses its disapproval of the nuptials
"I promise to love you and devote myself to you," says a tearful @placeholder, played by Tamara Braun, during the ceremony, her hands in Bianca's.
Lucci said, "Once Bianca came out and said she was gay, @placeholder said, 'But no!