Wedding trade expects boost from marriage equality laws

New marriage laws in Maine, Maryland and Washington are expected to boost wedding spending in those states.

A Maine man who’s launched an online wedding directory connecting same-sex couples with gay-friendly businesses said the law should benefit businesses ranging from tuxedo rental shops, florists, photographers and wedding planners to jewelers, limousine services, and musicians and DJs who provide wedding reception entertainment.

A study from the Williams Institute, a think tank at the UCLA School of Law, says the new laws should generate at least $166 million in wedding spending in the three states over the next three years from in-state couples alone.