Same-sex couples in Australia had quite a romantic Tuesday morning as it marked the first day of gay weddings after same-sex marriages were legalized in the country nearly a month ago on Dec.7, 2017. With this, Australia became the 26th nation to have legalized same-sex marriages.

A number of same-sex couples exchanged wedding vows in front of family and friends as the Australian Marriage Act legalizing same-sex marriage went into effect. Although some wavier was granted last month, the law for same-sex marriage has now come into full effect.

Glasgow Commonwealth Games sprinter Craig Burns and athlete Luke Sullivan got legally married just as the clock struck midnight in front of their family and friends.

Talking to the Huffington Post, Burns said: “It’s another way to show your love and appreciation of your partner in front of the people in your life.” He added, “Not being able to do that it kind of sucks a bit — you want to be able to show your partner you love them.”

Being the first gay couple to be married in Australia, Craig Burns told AFP: “We feel very lucky that we get to be one of the first same-sex couples married in Australia.”

Sullivan told the ABC Australia: “Equality, where we can get married, is a huge step forward for Australia.” He added: “My Instagram direct messages have blown up with people I have never met I don't know who are just sending love and congratulations, it's really touching.”

Burn’s sister Sarah Ross, who attended the ceremony, said: “A few months ago we didn't know if he'd be able to get legally married in Australia, so the fact that today he gets to have a husband is pretty incredible,” adding, “It's something that should have happened a long time ago so for me to see it happen today is pretty important to us.”

Another couple, Rebecca Hickson, 32, and Sarah Turnbull, 34, too got married Tuesday.

According to a report in the News Hub, Hickson told the publication: “We’ve already had our big hoo-ha ceremony three years ago, but now we get to declare our love for each other again and have it recognized as a real union.”

For Ron Van Houwelingen, 50, and Antony McManus, 53, it was a dream come true after a wait of 30 years.

Calling it a “wedding planned for 30 years,” Houwelingen told the News Hub: “I suppose it's been a wedding planned for 30 years, but we've had really a month to get things together. It's been quite hectic, trying to organize that in such a short amount of time.”

Jak Vaessen and Terry O'Hanlon, a couple from Brisbane turned their 7-year relationship into wedlock amid 130 guests from across Queensland.

Expressing his happiness, Vaessen said, “For me to be able to say Terry is my husband is so special ... that it is not an embarrassment, it's just a normal part of Australian life now. We were just going to keep it small, I mean, it's in our house, but so many people wanted to be involved which has been so amazing,” the Huffington Post reported.

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