Borough Hall Buzzes on the First Day of Legal Same-Sex Marriage

It was barely light outside on Sunday, and already a handful of couples had begun to congregate outside of Borough Hall, hoping to tie the knot as soon as possible on the first day that same-sex marriage is officially legal in New York state.

The Marriage Bureau was not scheduled to open until 8:30 a.m., but after waiting years or even decades to marry the ones they love, some couples hoped to be first in line to take advantage of the new law after New York passed the Marriage Equality Act last month, extending marriage rights to LGBT couples.

Today primarily couples who won a will be married at the city's five Marriage Bureaus—including one across the street from Borough Hall—to make history as . The city decided to implement the lottery due to a record breaking number of couples registering to marry.

A total of 823 couples were selected to have a guarantee that their ceremonies will be performed at one of the five City Clerk offices located in each borough.

Borough President Marty Markowitz will be present, as will a judge, minister and rabbi to preside over the first legal gay marriages in Brooklyn. 

The lottery closed Thursday, but all couples with valid marriage licenses and a waiver of the state-required 24 hour waiting period will be welcomed by Markowitz's office to come tie the knot.

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