A law legalising same-sex marriage came into effect in Scotland today.
Existing civil partnerships can now be converted to marriages and other same-sex couples can give notice of their intention to marry.
A 15-day notice period means that the first gay weddings will take place on Hogmanay.
The Catholic Church in Scotland lobbied against same-sex marriage, but a spokesman, John Deighan, admitted ahead of the final vote in February that there was an “air of inevitability” around the Bill and it had been likely to become law.
The Church fell quiet on the issue after Scottish Cardinal Keith O’Brien – an outspoken opponent of gay marriage – resigned last February following allegations of sexual misconduct.