Couples wed under new Swiss same-sex marriage law

Lesbian and gay couples in Switzerland rejoiced as they legally tied the knot Friday when the nation formally joined many other western European countries in allowing same-sex marriage.

The first same-sex marriages came about nine months after 64.1% of voters backed the "Marriage for All" law in a national referendum. It puts same-sex partners on an equal legal footing with heterosexual couples, including allowing them to adopt children together and to sponsor a spouse for citizenship.

Switzerland authorized same-sex civil partnerships in 2007. With a population of 8.5 million, traditionally conservative Switzerland was until Friday among a few western European nations that didn't recognize same-sex marriages.

Greece, Italy and the microstates of Andorra, Monaco and San Marino only allow male-female couples to marry. Most countries in central and Eastern Europe do not allow same-sex marriage.