Save the date for same-sex marriage: August 19

An emotional Louisa Wall after her speech during the final reading of the Marriage Amendment Bill at Parliament. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Same-sex marriage will be legal from August 19.

The Marriage Amendment Act has now gone through the formality of receiving Royal Assent after MPs voted in favour of the changes allowing gay couples to marry.

Registrar-General of Births, Deaths and Marriages, Jeff Montgomery, said from August the 19 there will be new forms available for all couples who want to get married.

He said the Department of Internal Affairs has a lot of work to do before it comes into force, such as amending the various forms and certificates, altering the computer system, and training staff.