Same sex couples celebrate first registry weddings in New Zealand

Source:Xinhua Published: 2013-8-19 20:43:01

Lesbian and gay couples in New Zealand celebrated the country's first same-sex weddings on Monday.

Nine same sex couples held registry weddings on Monday, according to Registrar-General Births, Deaths and Marriages Jeff Montgomery.

He expected the number of couples having registry weddings to increase next week as figures became available from across the country.

And 977 marriage forms had been downloaded from the Department of Internal Affairs website this week, three times as many as normal, including 156 for couples applying from overseas in advance of arriving in New Zealand.

The Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Act made New Zealand the first country in the Asia-Pacific region and the 13th in the world to allow same sex marriage when it was passed in April.

Xinhua



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