SAN FRANCISCO — A lesbian motorcycle group dressed in wedding gowns and wearing bridal veils lent a matrimonial touch to San Francisco’s gay pride parade yesterday as revelers celebrated their newfound freedom to marry.

The riders tossed bouquets as they led the city’s 38th annual gay pride parade down Market Street. Some of the motorcycles were adorned with signs that read “Just Married.”

Huge crowds lined the route as city tourism officials predicted the largest turnout yet for the parade, which typically draws tens of thousands.

The county clerk’s office was busy Friday handing out marriage licenses and handling wedding ceremonies. Same-sex marriage has been legal in California since June 16, after a state Supreme Court decision.

San Francisco’s mayor, Gavin Newsom, received ovations along the parade route for his role in working to overturn the state’s gay marriage ban.

Though City Hall was closed yesterday, parade organizers put up a wedding pavilion across the street where couples could get information about tying the knot or celebrate newly sanctioned unions.

Wade French, 61, and his partner, Brent Lock, 54, wed in San Francisco the day after the court’s decision took effect. At the parade, Mr. Lock wore a T-shirt reading “Finally married…” while French’s shirt read “…after 30 years together.”

“We always come to the parade, but this year is a different feeling because we’re celebrating something that’s personal to us,” Mr. Lock said.

Overseas, gay pride marches in the Bulgarian capital of Sofia and the Czech Republic city of Brno came under attack Saturday by extremists who threw rocks and eggs. No serious injuries were reported.

In Paris, more than half a million people danced through the streets beneath a river of rainbow flags.