Washington's Weddings Were 17 Percent Gay Last Year

Nearly a quarter of the weddings that took place in Washington state in the past year were between same-sex couples, reports the Associated Press.

On Wednesday, Washington officials reported that more than 7,000 same-sex couples wed in the state since its marriage equality law took effect December 9, 2012, after voters affirmed a marriage equality bill signed by the governor that February.

That means 17 percent of the weddings that took place in the past year were between same-sex couples, the AP notes. Among those newlywed same-sex couples, 62 percent were comprised of two women.

Washington is the first state in the Pacific Northwest to embrace marriage equality, and it's driving tourism from neighboring states. Roughly a quarter of the same-sex couples who married in Washington over the past year traveled from out of state, with the largest percentage hailing from Oregon, according to the AP.