New York City Caps Same-Sex Weddings At 764 For Day One; Lottery Began Today With Winners Notified Friday

With thousands of requests pouring in for the first day of same-sex marriages in New York City, the mayor's office said Tuesday it would establish a lottery to select 764 couples, AFP reporting that the city's decision comes ahead of the entry into force Sunday of New York state's gay marriage law, passed June 24. Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Council Speaker Christine Quinn and City Clerk Michael McSweeney said in a joint statement that the lottery would be implemented "due to high demand for marriage services on Sunday, July 24, 2011." City officials have received 2,661 requests for marriage services on Sunday, including 1,728 from same-sex couples. The lottery opened for entries at noon on Tuesday and was set to close to entries at noon Thursday, with a separate drawing for each of the city's five boroughs. Winners will be notified on Friday. "The lottery will guarantee access to one of the City Clerk's five offices for 764 couples -- opposite sex or same sex -- on July 24," the statement said, noting that the number of weddings that day could be four times the previous city record. "We are going to make history on Sunday, with the eyes of the nation once again turning to New York City," said Bloomberg. "We've done our homework, and it's clear that the number of couples who want to marry on Sunday is more than the City Clerk's offices could possibly handle," the mayor said, adding that "The last thing we want is for couples to wait on line for hours and hours, only to walk away upset on what was supposed to be the happiest day of their lives." "The fairest way to determine who gets the chance to wed on Sunday and ensure everyone can properly plan for their own big day is through an even-handed lottery system," said the mayor, who said the city would have no trouble pulling off the day of historic nuptials. "Nobody puts on big events like New York, and we will be ready on Sunday for what will no doubt be an historic and unforgettable moment." More than 60 judges from the New York State court system have volunteered to review requests to waive the 24-hour marriage waiting period normally required under state law and to perform marriage ceremonies for eligible couples. City Clerk McSweeney added that "my colleagues and I are committed to making sure that all couples will be treated fairly and with dignity on this momentous occasion."