Why Marry? Because many young people question the need for a wedding, marriage rates are down overall, but states that allow same-sex couples to wed find a sudden increase in rates. Miriam Brown and Carol Anastasio were among the 16,046 people to marry in New York City on July 24, 2011, the first day such marriages were legal. Extra judges and courtrooms were pressed into service.

ARISTIDE ECONOMOPOULOS/STAR LEDGER/CORBIS