Gay marriage may boost ailing Calif. economy

Gay-friendly destinations such as West Hollywood, Palm Springs and San Francisco are not the only places saying "We do" to couples planning long-awaited weddings. The California Travel and Tourism Commission posted a special gay wedding page on its Web site last week listing spots in Napa County, Yosemite National Park and comparatively conservative Orange County that are offering wedding and honeymoon packages.

Kathryn Hamm, president of Washington-based gayweddings.com, an online retailer and wedding planner, said the number of businesses submitting listings for her gay-friendly vendor's directory has tripled in the past three weeks.

"Vendors are absolutely looking to get their services out there," said Hamm, who has been working overtime to get invitations printed for couples planning late-summer and early-fall weddings. "Some identify as gay and lesbian and have been serving the community for a while, and some are straight and longtime supporters. But they have all said how excited they are about how about the recent development from a social justice perspective."

The timely economic infusion has been noted by Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who twice vetoed bills that would have legalized gay marriage but has supported the court's decision.

"I hope that California's economy is booming because everyone is going to come here and get married," Schwarzenegger told the California Chamber of Commerce.

Brian Siewert, co-owner of the Sonoma Orchid Inn in Guerneville, a small town in Sonoma County wine country, said the region is already home to a lot of gay-owned and gay-operated businesses, including his own, which he runs with his partner.

"We've always had honeymoon getaways here in the Russian River Valley, but it's really nice that now they will be gay honeymoons this time," he said.

But he added: "We are really concerned about this whole thing that people are trying to make a buck off it, as opposed to the feeling we have that we are really trying to celebrate and have them have a great experience and build their lives together."

Pontac said that she is having a lot of fun planning her wedding and that the rush has made certain decisions — such as what to serve — a little easier.

"It's amazing how when you have no time, it's `Anything but gorgonzola is fine,'" she said.

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