WASHINGTON: The White House is lit up in rainbow colours in commemoration of the Supreme Court's ruling to legalise same-sex marriage.

Gay and lesbian couples in Washington and across the nation are celebrating Friday's ruling, which will put an end to same-sex marriage bans in the 14 states that still maintain them.

Gay and lesbian couples already could marry in 36 states and the District of Columbia.

The court's 5-4 ruling means the remaining 14 states, in the South and Midwest, will have to stop enforcing their bans on same-sex marriage.

President Barack Obama said earlier Friday that the court ruling has “made our union a little more perfect".

The colours illuminated the north side of the White House as Obama returned Friday evening from Charleston, South Carolina, where he delivered the eulogy of the funeral of Clementa Pinckney, one of nine people murdered in the massacre at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church last week.