Celebrants and photographers are among those who are filling up their books, some even donating their time, resources and skills for the momentous occasions.

The first weddings will happen from January 9, one month after the start of law reforms that meant couples could lodge a Notice of Intended Marriage.

In Tamworth, Love Story Photography’s Katie Player and Ceremonies by Donna celebrant Donna Pollock are teaming up to offer a couple a free wedding photo package and ceremony.

Mrs Player said the recipients would be chosen in January, and she anticipated it would be “amazing” to be part of Australia’s first year of same-sex weddings.

“I knew Australia would eventually get this through and I just hoped I would get to see it happen; it’s one of those ‘moments’ in time, like when someone stood up for women’s rights,” she said.

“I always had in the back of my mind that if this was to happen, this is the way I’d want to celebrate.”

Mrs Player said that, “especially if our recipient couple have been waiting for a long time, it’s going to be quite emotional”.

“I feel that being in this industry you are celebrating love and stories, and it has always broken my heart to know there are people who have longed for the opportunity to do that,” she said.

“I’m glad to finally witness this moment.”

Mrs Pollock, a celebrant for four years, said she had done “quite a few” commitment ceremonies and was “excited that there is now marriage equality and everyone can get married”.

She hadn’t had an influx of inquiries yet, but wasn’t surprised because she felt it would be “a gradual thing”.

“Even though people are excited they can now get married, they’re not necessarily going to rush out and do it – you know, you have to be asked first; you need time to plan it.

“You never know, there might be some proposals at Christmas time, New Year’s, Valentine’s Day.”

Tamworth celebrant Lyn Grace said the demand was “starting to snowball”.

“A lot of couples have been holding off from doing commitment ceremonies, which we could already perform, in the hope the yes vote would go through,” she said.

Mrs Grace said the government had sent through a reworded monitum, changed to read “the union of two people” instead of “the union of a man and a woman”.

Mrs Pollock said many straight couples in the past had asked her to follow up the monitum, which celebrants are required by law to say, with a statement that the couple hoped one day everyone would be afforded the right to marry.

Wed by Kez’s Kerryn Tippett used to work in radio in Inverell and has married a few couples there since becoming a celebrant in 2009.

She is one of nine celebrants in the Hunter region collective The Sassy Celebrants who will take part in three same-sex marriages at inner-city Newcastle venue 48 Watt Street on January 9.

The group had put out a call to wedding businesses to provide free services to the couples for the Big Gay Day event.

Two of the couples have previously had commitment ceremonies and the third have been waiting a very long time to marry.

“It has been such a long time coming,” Ms Tippett said.

She said she’d done about 10 to 15 commitment ceremonies for same-sex couples, and she was an outspoken supporter of marriage equality on her professional Facebook page during the same-sex marriage poll period.

Although “surprised and disappointed” that a nationwide survey was needed to resolve the debate, she was “thrilled” the legislation had finally been passed.