| NEWS 06.17.08 1:19 PM |
PRINT | SEND TO A FRIEND |
|
| West Hollywood, Local Vendors Moving to Capitalize on Gay Wedding Plans |
|
Last evening, at 5:01 p.m., marriage between gay couples became legal in California. Appropriately, the clamor to capitalize on resultant business opportunities is following suit.
The city of West Hollywood is actively marketing itself as a top travel destination for gay visitors, and as an ideal place for a wedding or honeymoon. The city's Ramada Plaza, Le Parc Suite, and Sunset Marquis Hotel & Villas are among the hotels offering gay wedding packages. According to a press release sent by the city's marketing and visitors bureau, West Hollywood expects the financial impact from the California Supreme Court’s ruling to greatly impact the local economy as gay couples take advantage of local hotel packages and book the venues and the services of wedding planners. The release cites M.V. Lee Badgett, research director at the Williams Institute on Sexual Orientation Law and Public Policy at the UCLA School of Law, as estimating that gay weddings could add $250 million to California's economy over the next six months.
According to a study cited in Ad Age, the state is likely to see $683.6 million in direct spending over the next three years. And the study projects 2,178 jobs will be created as a result of gay marriage plans.
The City of West Hollywood in conjunction with the Los Angeles County Register-Recorder Clerk began to issue marriage licenses and perform civil ceremonies for same-sex couples today at West Hollywood Park, and West Hollywood city council members and Los Angeles county supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony this morning to kick off the issuance of the licenses.
Further east in Hollywood, Social Hollywood's Citrus catering is among the vendors moving to publicize last-minute gay wedding expertise. The catering operation distributed an email announcement yesterday that read, "You are getting married and you shouldn’t have to stress about what you are going to feed your guests at the reception ... because everyone deserves a flawless wedding reception, even if you planned it in under three hours."
—Alesandra Dubin
RELATED TOPICS
Gay Marriage Laws
MORE NEWS STORIES
Obama's First State Dinner Calls on Marcus Samuelsson, Jennifer Hudson
Art Basel Preview: New Convention Center Layout, Giant Beach Structure for Audi
Poll Results: Readers Opting for iPods Over DJs
$4 Million MOCA Gala Breaks Fund-Raising Records
Poll Results: Informal Nights Out Make Most Appropriate 2009 Holiday Parties
MORE STORIES ABOUT GAY MARRIAGE LAWS
L.A. Film Fest Director Richard Raddon Resigns Over Prop 8 Contributions
L.A. Milk Premiere Draws Small Crowd for Vigil
How Will the Passage of California's Proposition 8 Impact the Event Industry?
| More Suppliers/Venues to Consider |
ADVERTISEMENT |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
