CIVIL partnerships in Scotland have seen a sharp drop over the last year as couples await their chance to tie the knot.

Data from the National Records of Scotland show the number of couples entering a civil union was just 140 during the third quarter of 2013 - a drop of 54 on the same period the previous year.

While the figures have been falling gradually since the introduction of Civil Partnership Act in 2004, equality campaigners say the recent slump can be linked to the forthcoming legislation on same-sex marriages.

Tom French, of the Equality Network, said: "With Scotland's historic equal marriage legislation passed earlier this year, and the first same-sex marriages due to take place on Hogmanay, the number of civil partnerships registered in recent months shows that many same-sex couples are now choosing to wait for the option of marriage."

Same sex couples will be able to marry in Scotland from December 31, with one of the first weddings already attracting attention for its high profile witnesses - First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Scottish Greens co-convener Patrick Harvie.

Susan and Gerrie Douglas-Scott have asked the politicians to join their celebrations in Glasgow on Hogmanay and witness the solemnisation of the marriage.

Gerrie said: "Nicola and Patrick have done so much for all of us in the gay community we wanted to thank them."

The First Minister said she was "delighted" to be asked to join in the couple's big day and "start off the New Year with a celebration of a couple's love for each other".

MSPs approved the Marriage and Civil Partnership Act at Holyrood earlier this year.

The Scottish Government said the move was the right thing to do, but Scotland's two main churches - the Catholic Church and Church of Scotland - are opposed, despite religious officials "opting in" to perform the ceremonies.

Yesterday, same sex couples already in civil partnerships in England were able to convert them into marriages. Couples in Scotland will be able to do the same on December 16.

The National Records of Scotland statistics showed a seven per cent rise in marriages in the third quarter of 2014 - increasing to 11,037 from 10,312 in the same period of 2013.

Births also saw an increase, with 14,930 registered between July 1 and September 30 this year - 422 more than in the third quarter of 2013.

Deaths also rose by 5.8 per cent to 12,938, with cancer deaths rising 1.1 per cent and stroke deaths increasing by 0.3 per cent.

However, coronary heart disease claimed fewer lives, with a drop of two per cent.