One prison guard was fired, another resigned and six others were handed suspensions for allowing what the Florida Department of Corrections calls a "gay wedding" between two female inmates at the Lowell Correctional Institution.

The guards allegedly allowed the women to hold the ceremony in a prison common room on St. Patrick's Day. It came to light when another prisoner complained and the Department began an investigation.

The Department's report, obtained by the Gainesville Sun newspaper, was based on interviews with guards, inmates and a review of a tape from a security camera.

The paper says that prisoners in the facility used a prison bed sheet for a veil for one of the women. Another bed sheet was used to cover a table to create an altar. Pink prison forms where torn to make bows for decorations and human hair and dental floss were used to make rings which the two women exchanged.

The paper does not say who conducted the ceremony.

The "marriage" would have no legal basis in Florida because same-sex marriage is illegal. In addition prison rules prohibit sex or unauthorized physical contact between inmates.

"The rule exists for the protection of inmates against communicable diseases, bartering for sex, jeopardizing the safety of inmates and staff. If allowed, the department believes sex acts become a commodity and create an unstable environment," prison spokesperson Jo Ellyn Rackleff told the Sun.

The video shows several guards watching the event.

The paper says that the report concluded that the close-custody inmates to gather for the event placed officers at risk, although it did not detail any problems that were created by the "wedding".

The report also concluded that the officers also erred by allowing inmates to use state property to stage the event.

The couple has since been split up, with one of the women transferred to another facility.