The business of marriage equality

by Robin Dorner
Editor in Chief

In her 2011 Inaugural speech, Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin said, “As your Governor, I can assure you I will work with the leaders in the Senate and House to pursue common sense policies and programs capable of delivering greater efficiency and higher value to our citizens.”

In Kansas, Governor Brownback has made reviving the Kansas economy the core goal of his administration, proposing fundamental tax reform to encourage investment and generate wealth while creating new jobs.

Yet neither of them must have put pen to paper regarding the business of marriage equality. On average, US couples spend more than $25,000 for a wedding.

One of our readers, Brian, said he and his partner spent $24,000 on their 2004 wedding held in Massachusetts. “We flew in 22 people.”

Ray and Aubrey, Jessie and Alan, Heather and Jenny; all spent anywhere from $4,000 to $20,000 out of the states they live in on their nuptials in another state. Yes, one of those ‘lucky’ 13.

However, the economic opportunity goes beyond income from holding weddings.

In Arkansas, Grant Tennille, the Executive Director of the state’s Economic Development Commission, in a statement written by the AP, called for the state to strike down its same-sex marriage ban. "I believe that increasingly, particularly in the area of high tech, high skilled, knowledge-based jobs, that companies look for locations where all of their employees can be welcomed, all of their employees can be part of a community and all of their employees will be treated equally," Tennille said at the news conference. "I think the first state in the South that moves in that direction will have a leg up."

Speaking of, “values,” Tennille added that he thinks Arkansas would be more competitive with other southern states if it treated all people equally, and he thinks that includes marriage equality.

The 13 states where marriage equality is the law recognize that many people can’t get married in their home state. Several of these ‘welcoming’ states have set up websites to bring in that tourism dollar.

Iowa is the closest marriage equality state to The Gayly’s readership base. One couple, who married in Iowa in late July, estimates that their marriage cost them over $2000, and their guests brought another $2,500 to businesses in Iowa.

Ray and Aubrey will travel to New York City this fall to wed and will spend more than $4,000. As federal retirees, and after 22 years together, they feel it’s time to be married.

“Any Federal protections or rights are, at this time, still being determined at the Federal level,” said Ray. “However, there are more than a thousand given to married couples, and these protections should soon accrue at the federal level, based on SCOTUS decisions and the attitude of the current administration.”

Regardless of marriage status, the two also recommend all couples secure a Legal Trust to avoid probate.

“We want no special rights, just equal ones. Our goal in marrying is not to offend anyone else's religious sensibilities or beliefs, but to affirm our love for each other, and our dedication of our lives and love to each other,” Ray said in conclusion. “We've been together 22 years, and are just as entitled to the recognition and validity of that union as any other citizen.”

Rob Howard, Associate Editor, contributed to this story.

August 9, 2013