Meanwhile, expect a flood of same-sex nuptials and that's where Governor Schwarzenegger and the state budget will benefit. Here's an incomplete list of what's involved in weddings:
- Printed invitations and postage
- Flowers, photographer, jeweler
- Event planner
- Caterer or restaurant or hotel
- Rentals - such as tent, chair, tables
- Clothing for wedding party; gifts for attendants
- Honeymoon
- Marriage license
One UCLA researcher estimates that half of California's 92,000 same-sex couples will get married in that 4 month window. He also figures that at about $8,000 a wedding, the state economy would reap close to $370 million. I'm not sure his math is right - but it's a big number and sure would help the state's bottom line. Also, I believe that's a very conservative estimate. There's bound to be lots of splurging, especially among couples who have waited years, maybe decades, to get married. So $8,000 could be a really low estimate. And since California, unlike Massachusetts, doesn't limit marriages to state residents, expect a flood of same-sex tourists having "destination weddings" in our revenue-hungry state, and happily spending their wedding budgets in California's shops, hotels, and restaurants.
Gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender tourism is a $60 billion a year industry. A good part of that could end up in California's coffers this year and help close the $15 billion state budget shortfall that's been dogging the governor. If, as a result of those happy and extravagant same-sex newlyweds, he doesn't have to turn to tax-and-cut politics to balance the budget, Arnold Schwarzenegger could once again become California's star.
