Gays and lesbians can now be married in Georgia, and in fact a gay couple was exchanging vows at the Fulton County courthouse minutes after the decision came down.

The 5-4 ruling invalidates a constitutional amendment ratified by Georgia voters in 2004 that prohibited same-sex marriages.

It also means that the marriages of couples in states that previously allowed same-sex marriages must be recognized in Georgia; and gives gay and lesbian couples the same tangible benefits of marriage that have long been enjoyed by opposite-sex couples.

The Council of Probate Judges has already prepared to substitute "applicant 1" and "applicant 2" for "bride" and "groom" on the state's marriage forms; and state Attorney General Sam Olens has said the state will not resist the court's ruling.

Here is a complete database of officiants who will perform same-sex marriages across Georgia

Here is that list broken down by the metro area's four major counties:

Cobb

• DeKalb

• Fulton

• Gwinnett

And here is a gallery of the five best courhouses to get married in in Georgia.

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Credit: JOHN SPINK / AJC

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