South Metro Bridal Businesses Expect Boom Thanks to Same-Sex Marriage Bill

Amy Zellmer wasted no time after the same-sex marriage bill passed the senate on Monday.

The owner of Custom Creations Photography in Shakopee posted a jubilant blog post, then pledged to shoot one couple's same-sex wedding completely gratis. For Zellmer, the issue is deeply personal. Her own beloved sister has been in a committed relationship with another woman for 17 years and Zellmer would like nothing more than to see the two get hitched.

"It's time," Zellmer said of the passage of the bill, which was signed by Gov. Mark Dayton on Tuesday. "This is very exciting."

Evidently, others in the industry are enthusiastic as well. Zellmer posted her LGBT giveaway offer on Monday night. The next morning, a host of other vendors had contacted her, hoping to throw in as well. Thus far, the package will include free event planning, hair and makeup, invitations, a DJ and a three-tier rainbow cake. Flowers could be forthcoming.

The venue, however, is an unknown which points to two concurrent trends that could soon be sweeping the Minnesota wedding industry: A boom and a bottleneck.

First, the boom. Josh Franz, president of the Twin Cities Bridal Association, believes that the economic impact of same-sex marriage has been underestimated. Franz has heard that the wave of same-sex marriages will generate $42 million over the next three years. By his calculations, same-sex marriage will create about $25 million to $40 million in added revenues per year. About 10 percent of the metro's population is homosexual, he said, a number that hovers around 300,000. In any given year, 1 percent of the general population weds, which would work out to about 3,000 same-sex marriages a year.

If same-sex couples' spending patterns are anything like their heterosexual counterparts, about half of those marriages would be small affairs. The other half would go all out, Franz said, with a big wedding, florists, photographers and a cake. But that costs a pretty penny: An average wedding costs $17,000 to $25,000. If you multiply that by 1500, it works out to about $25.5 million to $37.5 million a year.

"Any way you look at it it's going to have a tremendous impact," Franz said, who added that the association's 400 member businesses are on board with same-sex marriage. "It's going to go over very well."

The effect has been muted so far. Franz said that bridal show producers have noticed a small bump in same-sex couples, but not a huge increase. Likewise, at Bride To Be, a consignment shop in Burnsville.

"I would assume we're going to see an increase. Prior to (the bill's passage) we had people shopping for commitment ceremonies," said Owner Jaisa Zuraff. "Now that it's official I'm sure we're going to get lots of business. I haven't noticed anything yet, but that doesn't mean they aren't shopping."

And now for the bottleneck: The legislation takes effect on Aug. 1, right before Minnesota wedding season kicks into high gear. According to Franz, August and September are the most popular of the season, which means that almost all the available venues will already be booked out for Saturdays and Sundays.

"Most weddings are planned six to 10 months in advance. Some of these couples have been waiting for so long that they're going to want to do it right away," Zellmer said. "I think we'll see lots of Thursday and Friday weddings, or intimate small, weddings."

Franz offered some similar observations.

"I know a lot of couples waiting ot get marry for 20 years who are not going to be able to get a venue, so they'll probably make it legal then plan the reception one month or six months down the line," Franz said. "There will probably be a lot of mass ceremonies too, when 100 couples get married at once." 

Other venues might not be willing. The new law (HF1054/ SF925/CH74) provides an exemption to religious entities from performing same-sex marriage ceremonies if that would be in violation of their religious beliefs. 

"Ceremony facilities will be hard to come by. You can't just go to the Catholic Church and get married," said Franz.