Marriage Equality: Fives Years On And Over 7,500 Couples Have Tied The Knot

It’s been five years since Australians voted yes for Marriage Equality and since then, more than 1,250 same-sex couples have tied the knot at the NSW Registry of Births, Deaths, and Marriages.

For the majority of people, same-sex marriages have molded into normal marriages, with the ABS releasing data that showed same-sex marriages make up about 3 percent of Australia’s total in 2021.

Lawyer and chief executive of the LGBTQ lobby group Equality Australia, Anna Brown is pleased with that many couples could marry.

“We’ve seen thousands of loving couples share their commitment and love for one another in front of their friends and families,” Brown said, as reported by the Sydney Morning Herald.

Celebrating The 5th Anniversary

With the lead up to WorldPride 2023, NSW Registrar Amit Padhiar believes the 5^th anniversary since Marriage Equality was enacted should be celebrated.

“In the lead up to Sydney hosting WorldPride in February 2023, we are celebrating all of the same-sex couples who have married at the Registry following the amendments to the Marriage Act,” Padhiar said.

“More and more couples are renewing their love for each other in the lead up to WorldPride, an event which celebrates the global LGBTQIA+ community in a different city every few years.

“The Registry takes pride in upholding their values of inclusiveness and diversity and our beautiful same-sex couples over the past five years are a testament to this.”

Since the first same-sex marriage was registered with Padhiar’s department on 15^th January 2018, more than 7,500 have married within NSW and 15 percent getting officiated by the Registry.

Couples Can Get Married During WorldPride 2023

For couples who want to get married during WorldPride, Padhiar has said there is still time to lodge a Notice of Marry.

“We also have a range of exclusive WorldPride packages available and while WorldPride starts on 17 February, there is still time to lodge a Notice to Marry if couples want to celebrate their love in a global way.

“Love is certainly in the air five years on and we are proud to be part of this journey with our LGBTQIA+ community, providing an easy booking process and guidance on all things marriage.”