Mississippi church refuses to marry black couple (VIDEO)

It was supposed to be one of the happiest days of their lives. But Charles and Te'Andrea Wilson's wedding day turned sour after a church in Mississippi refused to marry them.

Why? Because they're black.

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The Wilsons had planned to marry this month at First Baptist Church in Crystal Springs, Miss., but were asked at the last minute to move.

Their pastor, Stan Weatherford, made the request on behalf of some congregation members who didn't want to see the couple married there, Jackson, Miss., TV station WLBT reported.

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"This was, had not, had never been done here before so it was setting a new (precedent) and there were those who reacted to that," he told the TV station.

"I didn't want to have a controversy within the church, and I didn't want a controversy to affect the wedding of Charles and Te' Andrea. I wanted to make sure their wedding day was a special day."

The Wilsons told CNN they were heartbroken by the decision. Te'Andrea Wilson said she's not returning to the church.

"All we wanted to do in the eyes of God was to be man and wife in a church that we thought we felt loved. What was wrong with that?" Charles Wilson asked.

Weather

On Sunday, some church members said they were surprised by the move. Others offered an apology.

"There's a lot of people in the church that are suffering inner turmoil over this issue," congregation member Ralph Miley told Jackson TV station WAPT.