The majority of the provisions of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 came into force on 13 March 2014.
The law required couples to wait 16 days after giving notice to the local register office before a marriage ceremony could be performed. Accordingly the first same sex weddings can take place from 29 March 2014.
Same sex couples who married abroad under foreign law and who are currently treated as civil partners are also recognised as married from 13 March 2014.
It is anticipated that civil partners will be able to convert their relationship to a marriage if they choose to do so by the end of 2014.