Ending a decade-long civil rights battle, the legal bars on gay marriage have been removed in New York City. To exchange vows legally for the first time, gay couples flocked clerk's offices across the state on Sunday.
The Legislators passed the law in favor of legalizing gay marriage in June. Since then, gay couples had been waiting for July 24 to see the historic law come into effect.
According to a news release from Mayor Michael Bloomberg's office, 659 marriage licenses were issued on Sunday, while 484 gay couples got married.
While same-sex marriages in New York will be recognized in Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and Washington D.C., the same practice will not be recognized in Maryland and Rhode Island.
Meanwhile, a new survey conducted by a global market research and consulting firm named Harris Interactive showed that same-sex marriage is supported by more than half (53 percent) of all adult Americans. They agreed that the practice should be recognized as a legal marriage not only in one state, but in all other states.
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Here's a look at some of the festive moments on the first day:
Candy Casey (L) and Diane Wnek of Buffalo, New York celebrate with forty six couples after being declared legally married in a large same-sex ceremony, near the brink of Niagara Falls, in Niagara Falls, New York July 25, 2011. New York state recently legalized same-sex marriage.REUTERS/Doug BenzClyde Phillips-Frey (L), Nathan Phillips-Frey (2nd L), Thomas Korn, Mark Lynch (R) are two of forty six couples wed in a large same-sex ceremony, near the brink of Niagara Falls, in Niagara Falls, New York July 25, 2011. New York state recently legalized same-sex marriage.REUTERS/Doug BenzForty six couples are wed in a same-sex ceremony, near the brink of Niagara Falls, in Niagara Falls, New York July 25, 2011. New York state recently legalized same-sex marriage.REUTERS/Doug BenzNancy (L) and Sharon Gerbracht are among forty six couples wed in a large same-sex ceremony, near the brink of Niagara Falls, in Niagara Falls, New York July 25, 2011. New York state recently legalized same-sex marriage.REUTERS/Doug BenzNancy (L) and Sharon Gerbracht are among forty six couples wed in a large same-sex ceremony, near the brink of Niagara Falls, in Niagara Falls, New York July 25, 2011. New York state recently legalized same-sex marriage.REUTERS/Doug BenzA group of demonstrators prays near a same-sex wedding for forty six couples, near the brink of Niagara Falls, in Niagara Falls, New York July 25, 2011. New York state recently legalized same-sex marriage.REUTERS/Doug BenzJonathan Mintz (2nd L), New York City's consumer affairs commissioner, has a wedding ring placed on his finger by John Feinblatt (R), a chief adviser to the mayor, as they stand with daughters Maeve (L) and Georgia during a marriage ceremony presided by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg (C) at Gracie Mansion in New York July 24, 2011. Thousands of gay and lesbian New Yorkers are have been married this weekend, as the Empire State becomes the sixth in the U.S. to embrace same-sex marriage.REUTERS/Lucas Jackson
