New York State Preparing for Same-Sex Marriages

Though same-sex couples in New York were allowed to obtain marriage license applications for the first time on Tuesday, the applications still contained the terms “bride” and “groom.” A spokesman for the City Council assured the public that applications accommodating all marriages would be made available online on Tuesday. New York’s Marriage Equality Act takes effect in less than three weeks.

New York is expected to see as much as a $284 million boost to its economy as a result of an estimated 21,000 same-sex marriages in the next three years. New York couples generally have to wait twenty-four hours to marry after receiving a license, and the Marriage Bureau expects to perform same-sex marriage ceremonies beginning on July 25.

See Grant McCool, First day hiccup for NY same-sex marriages, Reuters, Jul. 5, 2011.

Special thanks to David S. Luber (Attorney at law, Florida Probate Attorney Wills and Estates Law Firm) for bringing this to my attention.