Couple vow to cross sea in the name of equality "That's the kind of girl I want to marry": Emma Mansell (left) and fiancee Sarah-Louise Hopkins are also planning to have a ceremony near Gosford. Photo: Kate Geraghty Emma Mansell has wanted to marry her fiancee since the couple met seven years ago. "I looked at her and thought 'that's the kind of girl I want to marry'," said the 28-year-old from Seaforth. When Ms Mansell and Sarah-Louise Hopkins heard the New Zealand government had legalised same-sex marriage on Wednesday, they decided they would venture across the Tasman to say "I do." "We love New Zealand and Australia has such a close relationship with the country," said Ms Mansell, a small business owner. Hopefully we can get married in a small chapel or outside, in the mountains. Ms Mansell and Ms Hopkins are also planning a country-themed wedding ceremony near Gosford in late September. Ms Mansell said the pair felt it was important for their marriage to be legal so they could be treated like other married couples. "Being the same is important," she said. The pair's relationship was no different to heterosexual couples who planned to marry, Ms Mansell said. "We are in a committed relationship, we love each other, we're planning on having children, we're buying a house, all the usual things," she said. We want to be Mrs and Mrs, not just partners. While she was looking forward to being legally married in New Zealand, Ms Mansell was hopeful the Australian government would also recognise same-sex marriages. "We have grown up with this idea that you get married to the person you love, but then you realise you're different from other people and that won't happen for you," she said. In Australia, same-sex couples can take part in commitment ceremonies but celebrants are not allowed to say the words "wedding ceremony" and must declare the marriage is not legal under Australian law.