Roughly a month after Ecuador's highest court, the Constitutional Court, ruled that gay and lesbian couples could marry, a lesbian couple on Thursday became the first same-sex couple to tie the knot in the South American nation of 16 million.

According to the AP, Michelle Avilés and Alexandra Chávez married at the civil registry office in the city of Guayaquil.

The women said they would throw a party to celebrate their marriage in November.

The marriage was overseen by civil registry official Andrea Albán.

While Ecuador has recognized gay couples with civil unions for a decade, plaintiffs in the legal challenge argued that they have fewer rights than married couples.

Gay couples can marry in only a handful of Latin American nations, including Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Colombia, and Uruguay. Such unions are allowed in several Mexican states and all states must recognize those marriages.

The AP reported that several other couples are preparing to marry.