On Tuesday, the Supreme Court refused to block a gay marriage law from taking effect in Washington, D.C.

The denial allows gays to marry freely within the nation's capital beginning Wednesday.

Supporters of traditional marriage had asked Chief Justice John Roberts to stop the city from issuing the licenses while they appealed. They argued that citizens of the District should be allowed to vote on the issue.

"It has been the practice of the court to defer to the decisions of the courts of the District of Columbia on matters of exclusively local concern," Roberts wrote. He added that Congress could have voted to stop the city government from putting the law into effect and didn't.

The D.C. City Council voted in December to allow gay marriage. The bill was then signed by Mayor Adrian Fenty.

Last week, a D.C court unanimously rejected an attempt to block the measure, clearing the way for same-sex couples to begin applying for marriage licenses in the District as soon as Wednesday.