GAY COUPLES are now able to 'marry' and two couples have already booked their ceremonies with three other same sex couples eager to book.

The new civil partnership legislation gives them the same rights in law as married couples.

But the gay couples will have to wait 15 days before they can be united in law and the ceremonies cannot take place until Wednesday, December 21.

The two couples are due to get married shortly after that date, but the venue is not being disclosed in order to retain their privacy.

Civil ceremonies can be held at the registrar office in Pontypool and at the Commodore Hotel, Cwmbran, The Parkway Hotel, Garndiffaith Millennium Hall and the Civic Centre in Pontypool.

The new civil partnership ceremonies can happen at any licensed place between 8am - 6pm, the same as marriages, but a commitment ceremony, where couples make a commitment to each other can happen outside those hours. This can also happen in the grounds of a hotel or castle, rather than inside the building.

The new law will also give civil partners certain rights under the Adoption and Children Act of 2002 which comes into force on December 30 this year. They will be able to take parental responsibility for their civil partner's child, with the agreement of their civil partner, as long as that person already has parental responsibility. In addition same sex couples will be able to apply to adopt a child jointly, and from Monday civil partners will be treated in the same way as married partners by the Child Support Agency. A civil partnership can only be ended by death, dissolution or annulment. The grounds for dissolving a partnership are the same as for a marriage.