"Getting married is not something we ever thought we could've done," said Brown, 57, an editor with Getty Images. "It's kind of like 20 years and a day - it's not a big deal for us."

The lower East Side pair was the first to show up at the city Marriage Bureau the day after the historic legislation passed last month. Now, they have to enter the city clerk's lottery to see whether they can win one of the 764 first-day slots to get their license.

"Given the reality of the situation, this may be the best way to handle it," said Anastasio, 49, a city Parks Department employee.

"I thought people were going to start camping out tonight!" she said.

Whether or not they hit the jackpot, the twosome will still go ahead with their lavish ceremony at the Old Homestead Steakhouse in the Meatpacking District.
