Gay marriage could mean big business in SWFL

FORT MYERS, Fla.- Tomorrow marks exactly one week since the first same-sex couple got married in Southwest Florida.

WINK News is learning gay marriages could bring big business to our area. All kinds of businesses from wedding planners, to bakers are preparing for new customers.

“People already come here and have a wedding and now more people can do that, it doubled the clientele,” said Cassandra Harmon.

Cassandra Harmon and Sonia Neomi Rosa are a gay couple and are getting married at the Burroughs Home in Fort Myers later this year.

Just like any other wedding, there’s a lot to do.

“We have to do the Burroughs Home, we have a caterer going through them, we are going to have to have a DJ, the person to ordain the whole thing,” said Harmon.

Their wedding has a good sized price tag.

“Estimated around $6,000 or $7,000,” said Rosa.

Now that same-sex marriage is legal in Florida, many expect it to eventually pump millions into our state’s economy.

“We have already received calls from gay couples who are interested in being married here,” said Jeanette Chelius with the Burroughs Home.

WINK News got our hands on a new study by the Williams Institute in California that expects more than 24,000 gay couples to marry in Florida within the next three years. The study also estimated that will bring in more than $182 million coming in to the state.

“I see this impacting our business very positively,” said local wedding planner Susan Voelkel, with Florida Platinum Wedding Company.

“We definitely intend on advertising directly to the gay couples,” she said.

Even local hotels, like the Hyatt Regency in Bonita Springs are tapping into this community– saying they welcome all couples.

“Now not only will you have the straight couples getting married you will have the gay couples coming down wanting to get married at all these beautiful places in Florida,” said Rosa.

The Lee County Visitor and Convention Bureau also says they plan to review marketing efforts to possibly include gay marriage.