The $9.5 Billion Marriage Equality Windfall

June 16, 2009

Forbes
June 16, 2009
There are 781,267 same-sex couples living together in the U.S., according to the Census Bureau's 2005-07 American Community Survey. Talk about a stimulus package. While wedding-related revenues--snagged by small shops to giant corporations top $160 billion (an average wedding now costs $20,400), the industry has shrunk at an annualized 1.9% rate after inflation since 1999. If half of the same-sex couples got hitched, Forbes estimates that the industry would reap nearly $10 billion in additional revenue. [Link]