At more than a dozen same-sex weddings couples spoke of first meetings, often brief, which led to lifelong relationships.

Darlene Cox and Liz Holcombe, from Canberra, waited 15 years to marry.

Three lunch dates was all it took for Ms Cox to move in with Ms Holcombe after they met working at the Australian War Memorial.

Ms Holcombe had two children, Frazer and Anna Brown, from a previous relationship. Ms Cox had a daughter, Isobelle, in 2000. All three children call both 'mum'.

''Quite honestly she is the most divine person I have ever met and every single day that we are together I feel really lucky,'' Ms Cox said.

Anna, 18, spoke in front of more than 100 wedding guests at the National Arboretum Canberra.

''To me [Darlene ] has always been mum. I've just always had two mums that's just been my life growing up, which is cool.''

Ms Holcombe's father, who is 98, made the trip from Toowoomba to see the pair marry. ''It was a bit of a shock when we first found out about Darlene, but I now know it was the best thing for them. It's a better marriage than Liz had before with a man,'' Norman Holcombe said.

Craig Berry and Ulises Garcia removed the rings they gave each other during a civil ceremony two years ago and reused them to officially become husband and husband.

They had their first date at Darling Harbour and their first kiss was in Hyde Park the same night.

In his vows Mr Berry said: "When I'm sick you look after me, when I've had a bad day you bake for me.''

Michelle Stockwell and Annabel Scholes met when working at the Sydney Theatre Company more than 20 years ago and were friends for 14 years before becoming a couple.

Ms Stockwell said it had felt like a long wait for same-sex marriage to be legalised.

''It feels like a long time, not just for us but for everyone, all of the queer people in the world, in history,'' Ms Stockwell said.

Haley Wilson and Samantha Hermes met online about a year ago and at 7.30am became what is believed to be the first female same-sex couple in Australia to tie the knot.

Their son Bailey, 7, held the rings at the Giralang ceremony.

Ms Hermes, an IT security worker, said: ''It was love at first sight, I didn't believe in it until I met Haley.''

For Erin Meulen and Gabriella Patyi, who travelled from Burrumbeet near Ballarat, their wedding was about grabbing the one chance they had to get legally married - and it only took 10 minutes.

The couple first met at work seven years ago and have been together ever since, adding two horses, a dog, and a cat bigger than the dog, to their household.

Tanya and Shar McKinlay, a stay-at-home mum and scientist from Melbourne, married in front of family, including their two-year-old daughter.

They had been together for eight years and engaged for five and look forward to sharing their lives as a married couple - with recognition from society.