Gay Weddings are Good for Business

With any industry, it's important to know your market when defining your client base and establishing your marketing plan.  If you want to reach the lucrative gay and lesbian wedding market, knowing the needs of this market is no different.  But beyond the broad "gay and lesbian wedding market", there are a bunch of sub-groups.  For example:

• Older gay and lesbian couples will be attracted to a different set of images, a different style of website and different company values than a younger couple.
• Gay male couples will be attracted to different types of images and language than lesbian couples.
• and then there are sub-cultures within these groups (ie, leather bears) but I won't go into detail about that.

Since gay marriage became legal in Massachusetts seven years ago, I've been watching what happens in other states as it becomes legal there.  Here's what you should expect when gay marriage first becomes legal:

Same-sex marriage was just legalized in New York state by a narrow margin.  This makes New York the largest state in the U.S. with legal gay marriage (and the sixth state, plus D.C.).  There are approximately 42,600 same-sex couples in the state (though 20% are already legally married).

When gay marriage goes into effect in about a month, gay weddings are expected to boost the NY economy by $210 million in the next three years.  This is amazing news for the wedding industry!

Is your wedding business ready?

• Well, to start, make sure you don't accidentally turn off prospective couples by being heterosexist.  Take down references to "bride and groom" from your website and marketing materials and substitute "couples" or "brides and grooms", for example.
• Make sure your contracts don't say "bride and groom".
• Think about the difference between a straight and gay wedding!
• Understand the federal laws about gay marriage and how your clients can be affected
• Understand what to call a gay wedding

Community Marketing Inc has released the Top 25 US Destinations for American LGBT Travelers.  Note that from this list of 25 cities, only three are places where gay marriage is legal (Boston, Provincetown and Washington, DC).  Also note that some cities and states where gay marriage IS legal aren't on the list - hello Des Moines!  What about New Haven?!

If your wedding business covers any of these cities and markets, you should pay special attention to this blog to learn more about the needs and expectations of the lucrative same-sex wedding market.  If your city is on this list, when gay marriage becomes legal in your area, you can expect a large surge of new potential clients. Percentage is the amount who visited and spent the night in a hotel...

1) New York City: 32%
2) San Francisco: 27%
3) Las Vegas: 26%
4) Chicago: 25%
5) Los Angeles / West Hollywood: 24%
6) Washington, DC: 23%
7) Fort Lauderdale: 17%
8) San Diego: 15%
9) Orlando: 14%
9) Seattle: 14%
11) Boston: 13%
11) Philadelphia: 13%
13) Palm Springs 12%
13) Atlanta: 12%
13) Miami: 12%
16) Dallas: 11%
16) Denver: 11%
16) Phoenix/Tempe/Scottsdale: 11%
19) New Orleans: 10%
20) Napa County, CA: 9%
20) Provincetown, MA: 9%
20) Sonoma County, CA: 9%
23) Portland, OR 8%
23) Baltimore: 8%
23) Tampa/St. Pete: 8%

How does your city rank?

Last week my company helped four same-sex couples from other states (Nevada, California, Pennsylvania and Texas) legally marry in Massachusetts.  This week, we're working with brides from Mississippi.  This "elopement" service is offered by my company just to make it legal.  Last year we worked with 53 couples from 27 states.  This service brings a lot of money into my company - and into the state of Massachusetts. My clients (eight individuals) and their guests last week collectively spent over $15,000.  It adds up fast.

At least half of these couples plan a party or a celebration - and/or a marriage reenactment - when they get back home.  

If you don't work in a state where gay marriage is legal, you may still get business from these couples.  If you answer your phone and speak to a man who is inquiring about a wedding celebration, are you going to ask him the name of his bride?  Be careful.  It's just that type of assumption that can cost you business.  

Gay and lesbian couples from all over the U.S. are traveling to legally marry and then planning a party back home, a party which requires vendors from the wedding and hospitality industry.  You may need to be ready sooner than you think.

In your business, have you worked with couples who first legally married in another state?

The State of Massachusetts, the City of Philadelphia and the City of West Hollywood are spending their advertising dollars marketing to gays and lesbians.