Same-Sex Weddings Expected To Bring In Money For Local Businesses
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- One of the effects of legalizing gay marriage in Pennsylvania is more money being spent in the state.
From simple, small ceremonies to big lavish events, gay weddings mean more business for many wedding-related companies.
At Prantl's Bakery in Shadyside, they've already been contacted to make cakes for same-sex weddings.
Tony Pouch says almost immediately after the judge's ruling they began getting emails about it.
"It's a pretty fantastic thing," said Pouch.
"Businesses like hotels, DJs, anybody that does anything related to weddings - florists, bakeries - are definitely going to benefit," said Lara Bruhn from Prantl's.
Meanwhile, Pittsburgh Pride, a festival to celebrate the LGBT community, is now being contacted by wedding-related businesses about being at this year's event.
"We have hotels coming on board. We have wedding photographers and wedding planners coming on board, so it's pretty exciting," said Gary Van Horn from the Delta Foundation, the group which organizes the event.
Photographer Joe Appel has captured the moments at many straight weddings, and now he looks forward to photographing a same-sex wedding.
"Marriage is a celebration of love," Appel said. "So why not have two people - whether they're a man and man, a woman and woman, or man and woman - it really makes no difference."
CNN reports that in the first year after gay marriage was approved in New York City, it brought in $259 million extra dollars from license fees, the cost of celebrations and wedding-related purchases.
Attorney Jim Lange says there' other ways gay marriage can be a financial boost.
"The very big issues, the issues that sometimes make differences of hundreds of thousands of dollars, are inheriting an IRA or retirement plan where the rules are much different or much more favorable for a spouse than a non-spouse," he said. "The other area is that there are enormous differences in social security where, again, it is much more favorable to be married than be single."
"The big issues that people don't know are the income tax and social security," he added.
You can hear Jim Lange on NewsRadio 1020 KDKA below:
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RELATED LINKS:
Gov. Corbett Won't Appeal Same-Sex Marriage Case (5/21/14)
Same-Sex Couples Line Up For Marriage Licenses (5/21/14)
More Reports by David Highfield
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