Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Niagara Falls to Provide Rainbow-Colored Backdrop for New York's First Legal Same-Sex Marriages

via Towleroad News #gay by Andy Towle on 7/18/11

Niagara Falls knows it has a cash cow in New York marriage equality and will be one of the places where a couple is married at the stroke of midnight this Saturday.

Niagara Politicker NY reports:

The inaugural couple will be Kitty Lambert and Cheryle Rudd, Buffalo residents who have been trying to wed for over a decade and who have five children and 12 grandchildren between them. According to a release from New Yorkers United for Marriage, the couple will marry at Luna Island while the Falls behind them will be lit with the colors of the rainbow flag.

Mark Grisanti, a Republican whose vote in favor of same-sex marriage proved crucial to the passage of the bill, is expected to attend.

There will also be a group wedding ceremony there on Sunday, Niagara Tourism announced earlier this month:

The event, which is aimed at highlighting the passage of the marriage equality act, is expected to be one of the first official LGBT group wedding ceremonies in New York State. This wedding ceremony, being held at Niagara Falls State Park, will reinvent Niagara USA as a premier marriage and honeymoon destination, as well as translate to a tremendous economic impact for the regions tourism industry.

"According to Empire State Development, New York State would garner upwards of $400 million in economic benefits over a three-year period due to the passage of the marriage equality act," said NTCC President and CEO John Percy. "Niagara Falls has long been considered a premier wedding and honeymoon destination throughout the world. Now, with the influx of a new demographic of romance tourists, Niagara USA will once again be viewed as the Honeymoon Capital, for all."


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