The first same-sex weddings in Australia have taken place in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) on Saturday, as couples rush to get married in case a court decision goes against them next week.
Forty-six couples have registered in order to be able to wed this weekend before the High Court rules on Thursday on whether the ACT's same-sex marriage law - which came into effect on Saturday - is valid.
Western Australian Upper House MP Stephen Dawson was the first to tie the knot with a midnight ceremony on the lawns of the federal parliament in Canberra. He says he has wanted to call his partner Dennis Liddelow his husband for a long time.
Old Parliament House and numerous lakeside venues in Canberra have been heavily booked for ceremonies.
ACT Chief Minister Katy Gallagher says she is encouraged by the number of people willing to get married while the law stands: "Despite the uncertainty [it] shows how important this is."
Rodney Croome from the Australian Marriage Equality lobby group has called on Prime Minister Tony Abbott to let his MPs decide whether or not same-sex marriage should be legalised at a federal level.
"The Coalition doesn't allow a conscience vote on this," Mr Croome says. "I believe that a majority of Coalition members support a conscience vote and when that conscience vote is granted that will remove the final obstacle and this reform will have a fighting chance."