Hundreds of gay couples have married in New York after it became the sixth and most populous US state to legalise same-sex weddings.

Tiffany Peckosh and Meredith Soffrin were among the 823 same-sex couples who signed up to be married in New York on Sunday, the first day it became legal to do so in the state.

The couple, who live in Brooklyn, say being able to get married gives them a sense of security, adding that it means a lot to be able to wed in the city where they fell in love.