The marriage of two heterosexual New Zealand men to win tickets to 2015 Rugby World Cup in London in a radio show promotion is horrifying gay rights and conservative groups.

Travis McIntosh, a 23-year-old engineering student from Otago University, and Matt McCormick, a 24-year-old teacher at Musselburgh School in Dunedin, were married at Eden Park in Auckland on Friday.

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About 60 family members travelled to Auckland to watch the two best mates marry to win a trip of a lifetime. The marriage was live-streamed by The Edge radio station.

“It’s official folks, Travis and Matt have just said ‘I do’! Congrats to the happy couple!,” the station tweeted.

Otago University Students Association Queer Support co-ordinator Neill Ballantyne says the wedding is an insult as marriage equality was a hard-fought battle for gay people.

Same-sex marriage became legal in New Zealand in 2013.

Family First, a lobby group opposed to same-sex marriage, says the outrage expressed by gay rights groups is ironic.

National director Bob McCoskrie says the change in law was “an arrogant act of cultural vandalism”.

“This competition makes a mockery of marriage, but so did the redefining of marriage.”

The men met at Pirates Rugby Club in Dunedin as six-year-olds and have been friends ever since.

Mr McIntosh told the Otago Daily Times he thought the marriage would last about two years.

Opposition was understandable but the wedding was not mocking the institution of marriage, he said.

“It’s just seeing how far two good mates would go to win a trip to the Rugby World Cup.”