New Zealand gay couples hold first weddings

18 August 2013 Last updated at 22:53 GMT

New Zealand gay couples hold first weddings

New Zealand's first gay weddings are taking place after the country became the first in the Asia-Pacific region and 14th in the world to legalise same-sex marriage.

Thirty-one same-sex couples planned to marry on Monday, according to the Department of Internal Affairs.

It comes after New Zealand's parliament passed a bill in April amending the country's 1955 marriage act.

The move had faced opposition from Christian lobby groups.

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