Jun 16, 2008 8:19 pm US/Pacific
Calif. Wedding Businesses Welcome Same Sex Couples
Reporting
Sue Kwon
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS 5) ―
The state of California is set to cash in on same-sex marriages. Gay and lesbian couples are being heavily courted by wedding businesses throughout the Bay Area.
Bob Copani and Jim Brown are planning the menu for their wedding day. It's an event Bob says they have been waiting to celebrate for over a decade.
"Twelve years ago we had an engagement party with the intention of one day knowing this will happen," Copani said. "It was a long engagement, but worth the wait."
Now, they are ready to spend more than $10,000 to make it a memorable celebration for friends and family coming from all over the country.
After the state Supreme Court overturned the ban on gay marriage in May, the couple immediately called David Walovich at San Francisco's Hotel Monaco to plan their July celebration. They weren't the only ones. Walovich said he has booked seven same-sex marriages in recent weeks.
"I am slammed, very busy. I expect the number of same sex marriages to make up 50 percent of our wedding business," Walovich said. "We have helped couples with commitment parties and receptions, but now we are throwing full weddings and large celebrations. And, I am seeing higher disposable incomes when it comes to same sex marriages so far."
UCLA researchers estimate half of the state's same sex couples will get married pumping $370 million into the state economy over the next three years. That's why businesses are rolling out the welcome mat.
Wilkes Bashford is luring in couples with a storefront window containing mannequin's outfitted in same-sex wedding suits. An employee told CBS 5 ConsumerWatch, so far the response has been positive, with many people stopping to look and only one phone call from a person protesting the display.
Gumps realized early on that same sex couples are potentially a huge market when it comes to wedding registries. They sign up for roughly $10,000 in gifts, the same as heterosexual couples.
Registry director Kathleen Mailliard Rende said the company even changed the name of Gumps gift service from Bridal Event to Getting Married at Gumps. She expects the number of same sex couples registering for gifts at Gumps to triple from 20 to 60 in the coming months.
"This past Saturday, the store was just busting with same-sex partners. It's an exciting time," Rende said.
Copani and Brown are not registering for gifts, but they do have one request.
"After 13 years there is nothing we need. Our preference is to have all of our guests make a contribution to Equality California and the initiative this fall," Brown said.
He's referring to the proposed November ballot initiative banning same-sex marriage. It's a definite threat, but not big enough to ruin their big day on July 18th.
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