Two lesbian couples tied the knot on
Saturday in Australia, making them the first same-sex couples to
marry following passage of a bill that extended marriage to gay and
lesbian couples.
The women married after receiving
permission to waive the nation's one-month waiting period for
couples.
Lauren Price, 31, and Amy Laker, 29,
had invited their families from Wales to attend what was expected to
be a commitment ceremony. Instead, the women made history as the
first to exchange vows in Sydney.
Amy and Elise McDonald, who already
shared the same last name, tied the knot in Melbourne. They were
given an exemption to marry because their families had also flown in
from overseas.
“You don't choose who you fall in love
with,” Amy McDonald told 7 News. “At the end of the day, Elise
was the perfect person for me.”
A third couple, Anne Sedgwick and Lyn
Hawkins, married on Sunday. Together 40 years, they received an
exemption due to health reasons. Hawkins, 85, is fighting a
diagnosis of ovarian cancer, the AP reported. Another couple also
battling cancer is expected to marry on Monday. Cas Willow, 53, and
Heather Richards, 56, have shared their lives for 17 years.
“It means our relationship won't just
be tolerated, it will be accepted,” Richards said.
Couples without an exemption are
expected to begin marrying on January 9.