New Zealand Holds First Same-Sex Marriages

14th country in the world to legalize gay marriage

The first same-sex weddings have taken place in New Zealand 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 had been due 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.