US vice-president Joe Biden officiates at same-sex wedding

US vice-president Joe Biden has officiated a same-sex wedding, a first for the early proponent of gay marriage.

Mr Biden presided over the union of Joe Mahshie and Brian Mosteller, both longtime White House aides.

The couple asked Mr Biden to officiate, the White House said.

Mr Biden has never officiated a wedding before, so he got a special temporary certification from the District of Columbia to make it legal.

The afternoon ceremony took place on Monday at the Naval Observatory, the vice president’s official residence, with immediate family attending.

Mr Biden publicly backed gay marriage in 2012 in the run-up to President Barack Obama’s re-election.

The announcement put pressure on Mr Obama to declare his own support shortly after.

– AP