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.