( CNN ) -- Starting Monday , same-sex couples will be allowed to marry in New Jersey . The New Jersey Supreme Court denied the state 's request to temporarily prevent such marriages last week , clearing the way . Some ceremonies already are planned . U.S. Sen.-elect Cory Booker , the current Newark mayor , plans to recognize the marriages of several same-sex couples at 12:01 a.m . The couples will be married at City Hall , according to the Facebook page of gay rights group Garden State Equality . Troy Stevenson , executive director of the group , said last week that the high court 's decision means `` the door is open for love , commitment and equality under the law . '' `` This is a huge victory for New Jersey 's same-sex couples and their families , '' added Hayley Gorenberg , deputy legal director of gay rights group Lambda Legal and the organization 's lead attorney on the case . `` Take out the champagne glasses -- wedding bells will soon be ringing in New Jersey ! '' That enthusiasm was not shared by everyone . `` It is extremely disappointing that the New Jersey Supreme Court has allowed the ruling of an activist judge to stand pending its appeal through the court system , '' said Brian Brown , president of the National Organization for Marriage , last week . `` All in all , today 's ruling is another sad chapter in watching our courts usurp the rights of voters to determine issues like this for themselves . '' Gov . Chris Christie 's administration appealed -- and asked the court to delay -- a lower court 's September 27 order that the state must allow same-sex couples to marry beginning October 21 , rather than give them the label `` civil union . '' The appeal will be heard in January . But the state Supreme Court on Friday declined to delay the September order in the meantime , writing that `` the state has not shown a reasonable probability that it will succeed on the merits '' of the appeal . `` When a party presents a clear case of ongoing unequal treatment , and asks the court to vindicate constitutionally protected rights , a court may not sidestep its obligation to rule for an indefinite amount of time , '' the 20-page decision read . `` Under those circumstances , courts do not have the option to defer . '' New Jersey has recognized civil unions between same-sex couples since 2007 , after the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled that the state must allow same-sex couples all the rights and benefits of marriage . As far as state rights and benefits went , civil unions and marriages differed only in label . New Jersey is one of four states that offer civil unions , but not marriage , to same-sex couples . The others are Colorado , Hawaii and Illinois . Same-sex marriage is legal in 13 U.S states -- California , Connecticut , Delaware , Iowa , Maine , Maryland , Massachusetts , Minnesota , New Hampshire , New York , Rhode Island , Vermont and Washington -- as well as the District of Columbia . Same-sex marriage is banned in every state not mentioned above , except for New Mexico , which has no laws banning or allowing it .
Newark mayor plans to recognize the marriages of several same-sex couples . A court denied the state 's request to temporarily prevent such marriages last week . The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule on whether states can ban gay marriage in June, and a decision could affect thousands of marriages.