Two gay men in Nova Scotia are celebrating their recent marriage -- but not a loophole in the law that pronounced them "man and wife."

Norman Carter and Gerald Veldhoven had been together 30 years and were finally able to make their union official on October 18 in Amherst, N.S.

They became the first same-sex couple to get married in the province, taking advantage of a ruling last month by the province's Supreme Court that said banning such unions is unconstitutional.

Nova Scotia became the sixth province in Canada to allow same-sex marriages.

While the law has changed, the language of marriage ceremonies and certificates in the province has not -- at least not yet.

In a Nova Scotia wedding, one partner has to be assigned as the husband, the other as the wife.

"In some parts the word lawful partner was mentioned," explains Veldhoven. "But when you come to the very end we were pronounced husband and wife.

"It was a little bit disconcerting and a little bit odd."

Some who witnessed the ceremony thought at first it was a mistake. But the Justice of Peace made it clear she had to say the words to make the marriage legal.

Carter and Veldhoven didn't let the incident ruin their day. But they worry the rules on language may discourage other gay and lesbian couples from walking down the aisle.

Others, however, point out that the ruling is only four weeks old and that the wording will be changed.

"They simply haven't had a chance to correct that but I think they will," says Eldon Hay.

Hay, a retired church minister and gay rights activist, says the wording is likely an error of omission.

"This is a very important public display and affirmation that it's OK to be gay and lesbian," he says.

"And that gives me a great deal of hope."

With files from Ron Shaw of ATV