Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: This verse was revealed: "And do not marry polytheist women until they believe" [Al-Baqarah: 221], so the people held back from them until the verse after it was revealed: "This day all good things have been made lawful for you, and the food of those who were given the Scripture is lawful for you and your food is lawful for them, and chaste women from among the believers and chaste women from among those who were given the Scripture (are lawful for you)", so the people began marrying women of the People of the Book.
Hadith Referenceالمعجم الكبير للطبراني / باب العين / 12554