The invisibility of same-sex couples in New Zealand is fast becoming a thing of the past, with civil unions being performed across the nation. Bay of Plenty couple Daniel Brandl and Alex Beck, who have been together for sixteen years, held their ceremony last Saturday with 25 of their closest family and friends, saying it was the happiest day of their lives. "We don't go to a church but we believe in God and we think God blessed us by bringing us together," Brandl told the Bay of Plenty Times. "God was probably sitting up on a cloud watching us on Saturday." Hamilton couple Lif Cooper and Kelly Cunningham, who held their civil union at their home last Friday, say they are family oriented and their union is part of recognising that. "I promise to love you as your partner in good times and in bad with all that I have to give and all that I feel inside in the only way I know how, completely and forever," read their vows to each other. In addition to other civil unions performed over the last week in Auckland and Wellington, GayNZ.com has received many messages from civil union celebrants in other parts of the country who are thrilled at the prospect of conducting same-sex unions in the future, listing their services on the site. "I'm absolutely delighted at the response we've received," says GayNZ.com content editor Jay Bennie. "In fact, it's far greater than I expected."