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WEST HOLLYWOOD Gay Marriages and Honeymoons are on the rise
After more than 20 years
of fighting for legal rights to marry, same-sex couples can celebrate the
California Supreme Court’s ruling to legalize same-sex marriage recently
enacted. Three West Hollywood hotels are targeting the gay population for
weddings and overnight stays, with certainly more hotels planning their
strategies to capture this lucrative market.
Ramada Plaza Hotel West
Hollywood,
Le Parc Suites Hotel,
The Le Parc Suites Hotel, and
The Sunset Marquis Hotel & Villas
The City of West Hollywood, which has historically been a leading advocate
for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) rights, has become a
destination for LGBT couples to celebrate their weddings and honeymoons.
Actively marketed as a premier travel destination to LGBT visitors around
the world, West Hollywood is home to Southern California’s largest gay and
lesbian population (nearly seven times higher than the national average),
the largest Gay Pride festival on the West Coast, and boasts Los Angeles’
most popular gay nightclubs and businesses on the picturesque Santa Monica
Boulevard. The city offers 14 gay-welcoming hotels, unique dining, trendy
spas, boutique shopping, renowned art galleries and a bustling and energetic
atmosphere which causes the city’s population (approximately 36,000 in 1.9
square miles) to double on any given weekend. The promotes West Hollywood as
a destination and community that is “Living Forward” in attitude, thought,
and lifestyle.
Williams Institute on Sexual
Orientation Law and Public Policy at the UCLA School of Law offers estimates that
gay weddings could add $250 million to the State of California's economy
in half a year alone. Financial
impacts from the California Supreme Court’s ruling are expected to greatly and positively
support the local economy in the City of West Hollywood due to couples arriving to get married and
celebrate their honeymoons. Gay couples will find resources such as
wedding planners and venues in West Hollywood, which is centrally located in Los
Angeles. Temperate climate, a walkable environment, and thriving gay scene
make this city a gem for those seeking a place to be at home on a visit. The
LGBT lifestyle is not always readily received in cities and regions
throughout the U.S., so West Hollywood wears its friendly approach like a
badge of honor.
The City of West Hollywood in conjunction with the Los Angeles County
Register-Recorder Clerk will begin to issue marriage licenses and perform
civil ceremonies for same-sex couples on Tuesday, June 17, 2008 from 9 a.m.
to 5 p.m. at West Hollywood Park, 647 N. San Vicente Boulevard in West
Hollywood. West Hollywood City Councilmembers and Los Angeles County
Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky will participate in a ribbon-cutting ceremony to
kick-off the issuance of same-sex marriage licenses at 9 a.m. at West
Hollywood Park. Media parking will be available along San Vicente
Boulevard.
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