equal rites Bloomberg Will Be the First NYC Mayor to Preside Over a Gay Wedding 
 
 On July 24, the mayor will marry two of his top aides, John Feinblatt and Jonathan Mintz, who have been together for fourteen years and have two daughters. Bloomberg has presided over marriages only twice before as mayor, once for his daughter and once for Rudy Giuliani (who, by contrast, has ducked the requests of gay friends to marry them). [NYT] ||||| Mayor Bloomberg with his chief policy adviser, John Feinblatt, at left, and consumer affairs commissioner, Jonathan Mintz, at right, with their children. The mayor is officiating at their wedding on the first day same-sex marriages can take place in New York. 
 
 Mayor Bloomberg will officiate at the wedding of two top city officials on July 24, the first day that New York's same-sex marriage law goes into effect, officials said Thursday. 
 
 The Democrat-turned-Republican-turned-independent mayor, who has performed marriage duty just twice since he took office in 2002, will marry his consumer affairs commissioner, Jonathan Mintz, and chief policy adviser, John Feinblatt. 
 
 The ceremony will take place at Gracie Mansion. 
 
 Bloomberg said in a statement that Mintz and Feinblatt, who have been together for many years, helped him "see the issue of marriage equality in very clear terms." 
 
 "This will be one of the biggest days of their lives, a day they've waited a long time to see, and I'm just honored to be a part of it," he said. 
 
 The city announced Wednesday it would extend the hours of the City Clerk's office to remain open that day, a Sunday, to accommodate same-sex couples wishing to marry on the historic day. 
 
 New York was the sixth state to legalize gay marriage. 
 
 The offices would normally be closed for the weekend. 
 
 "This is a historic moment for New York, a moment many couples have waited years and even decades to see – and we are not going to make them wait one day longer than they have to,” said Bloomberg. 
 
 The gay marriage bill was signed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo on June 24. The state is home to an estimated 42,000 same-sex couples. 
 
 On Tuesday, same-sex couples were officially able to begin applying for marriage licenses in New York. 
 
 Bloomberg previously officiated at the weddings of former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, and also his daughter.
– Michael Bloomberg isn’t wasting any time celebrating New York’s new marriage law. The day gay marriage becomes legal in the state, the mayor will officiate at the wedding of two city officials, NBC New York reports. Bloomberg will unite his chief policy adviser (John Feinblatt) and the city’s consumer affairs commissioner (Jonathan Mintz) in a ceremony at Gracie Mansion, the mayor’s official residence. The city clerk’s office would usually be closed on a Sunday, but it’s staying open for the big day on July 24. Bloomberg's decision contrasts with that of Rudy Giuliani, who has so far rebuffed requests from gay friends to preside over their nuptials in the city, notes the Daily Intel blog.