Prop. 8 win will hurt wedding industry
Californians are awaiting final vote totals on Proposition 8, which would ban same-sex marriage in the state. Jennifer Collins reports how gay marriages have given an economic boost to the wedding industry.
Senator Barbara Boxer, D-CA, speaks out at a rally against Proposition 8 on the California ballot, which would ban same-sex marriages in the state. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
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TEXT OF STORY
Steve Chiotakis: In California, there's another race that still has some on the edge of their seats: A state measure on the ballot defines marriage as strictly between a man and a woman. It's known as Proposition 8. Early results show Prop 8 passing, effectively outlawing gay marriage. And that could suck some money out of the wedding industry in the world's sixth-largest economy. Here's Marketplace's Jennifer Collins.
Jennifer Collins: California already has 92,000 same-sex couples. When the state's supreme court ruled in May that those partners could marry, the wedding industry caught an economic bouquet. Jewelers, event planners, florists -- everyone in the business of nuptials has gotten a nice bump.
And that gravy train could keep rolling. A study by UCLA predicted the state could see $370 million in new business over the next three years. And even more gay couples could move to the Golden State if the unions stay legal.
But if Proposition 8 passes and gay marriage is banned, thousands of potential customers could be lost at an already tough time. Word is traditional couples are more thrifty these days as the economy tightens.
I'm Jennifer Collins for Marketplace.
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From OH, 11/07/2008
It dawns on me that "gay" has less to do with all the worn out arguments (born that way, bigotry, religion, politics, etc. etc.) and everything to do with Economics. The very word implies a high flying, solipsistic, exclusive life style. But, at whose expense? What about the father (and mother) who decided to be unselfish, and forego the fabulous wedding, the corsets, the satin, the campy milk and honey, the party life, and slog through every day for each other? Such plebian trash! And they are often treated as such where only one (often more) flashy gay person takes all in the workplace. Live together, sleep together, love each other: all of that for gay people. Fine. But everything that goes with it all too often absorbs and consumes far more than its share. Just join the rest of us middle class and poor plodders, and come down off the "gay" bubble. It will do the entire community and body politic much good!
From carson, CA, 11/05/2008
All of us are equal, some of us are just more equal than others: Animal Farm. Some couples waited decades to marry. I am ashamed of California should it let this pass.
Will marriage survive? How are they handling it in the rest of the world?
The wedding industry was a bright spot in this economy while marriage was for everyone. I guess bright spots are not needed here.
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