logo
episode-header-image
Apr 2022
16m 14s

A Couple Walks Into City Hall

The New York Times
About this episode

It’s 2022, the year of matrimania. Roughly 2.5 million weddings are expected (a bump not seen since 1984), and other trends are wildly taking off — ceremonies for pets, weddings on weekdays, a revival of epic poofy dresses.

While the business of nuptials is evolving, we revisit Pauline Miller’s essay from 2017 about one tried-and-true approach: tying the knot at City Hall (a decision fueled by Pauline’s desperate need for health care). Then, our host, Anna Martin, and producer Julia Botero take to City Hall in downtown Manhattan to see it for themselves. They talk to a swirl of people getting married — from a duo who met on Myspace to a divorced couple giving it another go. They also get the scoop on the most unforgettable wedding ever witnessed by the city clerk.

Up next
Aug 20
Bridget Everett Says a Best Friend Can Be Your Greatest Love (Encore)
Stories of romantic love are everywhere, but the actor, singer and comedian Bridget Everett says that friendships deserve our attention, too. Onscreen and in everyday life.Last Fall, Everett appeared on Modern Love to talk about her HBO Original series “Somebody Somewhere,” which ... Show More
38m 9s
Aug 13
Where Did All My Male Friendships Go?
Sam Graham-Felsen never imagined being lonely. Throughout his childhood and as a young man his life revolved around his friends. But when Sam got married and then had kids, going out with his friends almost felt like a luxury. After years of focusing on everything in his life exc ... Show More
1h 1m
Aug 6
The Kind of Pain She Wanted
For her entire life, Grace Hussar has been an overthinker. No matter how much she wanted to be in the moment, she always felt as if she was just outside it. But when she took up endurance running, she realized something: Extreme pain turned her thoughts off. She wanted more of th ... Show More
46m 35s
Recommended Episodes
Aug 2022
Bennifer: A Tale of Two Weddings
Here comes the bride...again. A month after they tied the knot in a low-profile Vegas wedding, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck said "I do" again at a lavish celebration in Georgia this past weekend. But even with the star-studded festivities, it was a wedding - so things were boun ... Show More
13m 41s
Jun 2024
William attends the big wedding!
The highly anticipated "society wedding of the year" between Hugh Grosvenor, the 7th Duke of Westminster, and Olivia Henson took place Friday at Chester Cathedral in England. Despite windy conditions, hundreds gathered to catch a glimpse of the 33-year-old duke, the new 31-year-o ... Show More
6m 42s
May 2018
A Toast To The Bridesmaids
Actress and comedian Diona Doherty says we need a big rethink about who we allow to make a speech at weddings. She tells us why if we want true equality it all starts with letting the bridesmaids speak.Recorded in front of a live audience at the Palm House in Belfast as part of t ... Show More
18m 55s
Sep 2022
Wedding Season (Live from Michigan)
Everyone lied to her about what it’s like to plan a wedding. A bride-to-be opens up about stress, making tough decisions, and wedding crashers leading up to the big day. She and Geth bond over how great it feels not to invite someone you don’t actually like. Later on, Chris and t ... Show More
1h 8m
Nov 2022
Kate et William 2/4 : De la rupture au mariage du siècle
On ne s’en rappelle pas forcément, mais après cinq ans de relation, de leur rencontre à l’université de Saint Andrews à leurs premiers pas de couple surexposé à Londres, Kate Middleton et le prince William se séparent. La rupture dure 10 semaines et, si on n’en sait pas grand-cho ... Show More
22m 59s
Apr 2021
Braided with Love and Joy
For forty years Phil Donahue and Marlo Thomas tried to keep their celebrity marriage out of the spotlight. But after being married for four decades, or what felt like a hundred years as Phil says, they got interested in researching what makes a marriage work and last and thrive o ... Show More
34 m
Oct 2022
Say Yes To the Debt
The girlies walk you down the aisle through the history of American weddings — everything from the origins of the white dress to the deranged people who still decide to get married on plantations. Digressions include tomato soup activism, Ye’s antisemitic turn for the worst, and ... Show More
1h 30m
Aug 2022
JLO & Ben Affleck’s New Wedding Controversy
On the show today… In exciting TV news, Gogglebox Australia is returning to our screens this week, and here’s everything you need to know about the brand new cast members. In slightly less exciting TV news, it appears that John Corbett really is returning to the Sex and the City ... Show More
20m 24s