DNA Gay Ski Week Queenstown organisers Sally and Mandy Whitewoods were ''over the moon'' the Marriage Amendment Bill was passed into law on Wednesday and immediately started receiving correspondence from those keen to wed in the resort.
''We're already fielding Facebook posts, emails and calls from friends who're thinking about heading over to New Zealand to get married.
''Queenstown's just the perfect wedding destination, so we're fully anticipating there will be a number of same-sex couples choosing to get married here during Gay Ski Week.''
The ''wife and wife team'' said the new law would be cause for extra celebration at this year's event, which runs from August 31 to September 7.
Tourism Dunedin chief executive Hamish Saxton said Australians would ''definitely'' be interested in marriage options within New Zealand.
He expected Queenstown and Dunedin to be popular wedding destinations, providing an added boost to the economy.
''Australian papers are already suggesting that Australian couples will be attracted to New Zealand and I'm certain that Dunedin will welcome the development of marriage products suited to that market.''
Dunedin partners Lacey and Melissa Pizzamiglio were also looking to Queenstown for their wedding later this year.
Mrs Pizzamiglio (23) said she and her 28-year-old partner wanted to marry in the snow.
Originally from Los Angeles, they settled in Dunedin after a civil union in the Californian city three months ago.
Mrs Pizzamiglio said the new law made a long-held dream a reality.
Civil union rights in the United States were ''a joke'' and it was ''awesome'' to live in a country and community which legalised equality, she said.
''Planning a wedding before was almost like planning a dream, just hoping one day it would happen.
''Now, we can finally settle down and plan, pick things out and start booking.''
Dunedin resident Troy Butler said he, too, had always wanted to get married, but as a gay man he did not know whether it would be possible.
''When New York allowed civil unions I thought maybe I would go over there,'' he said.
The 20-year-old and his partner were in the early stages of their relationship, so were not planning a wedding, but Mr Butler said he hoped to walk down the aisle one day.
Dunedin marriage celebrant Nicola Wall already had gay and lesbian couples inquiring about getting married in the city and she hoped the change in law would be good for business.
''I guess time will tell.''
Fellow Dunedin celebrant Graeme Brown expected to see those in civil unions taking the next step and marrying, although he said the number of civil unions performed in the city had stayed ''very small''.
He also knew same-sex couples who were happy to remain unwed and did not think there would be a ''rush'' of marriages.
In 2011, there were 301 civil unions registered by New Zealand residents, of which 77% were same-sex unions, and an additional 76 civil unions registered by overseas residents.
Provisional statistics for 2012 showed there were 390 civil unions nationally, of which 82% (320) were same-sex unions.
