Expect an influx of $34 million to be added to Wisconsin’s economy in the next three years, thanks to the full legalization of same-sex marriage in the state.
The estimate from the Williams Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law predicted that 4,590 same-sex couples in Wisconsin would get married in state within the first three years of legalization, boosting local spending on weddings, tourism and sales tax revenue. That spending will create up to 589 jobs in tourism and recreation sectors.
The study, released last week, is being hailed by Jason Rae, executive director of the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce.
“We’re really excited because instead of couples going to another state to get married, they’re going to stay here and spend their money locally,” Rae said.
In June, U.S. Judge Barbara Crabb struck down the state constitution’s ban on same-sex marriage, making marriage equality the law of the land. But that decision was put on hold while the Walker administration appealed Crabb’s decision before the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals and lost in September. When the U.S. Supreme Court refused to take the case on Oct. 6, marriage equality was once again legalized.
According to records from the Milwaukee County Clerk’s Office, 111 male couples and 155 female couples have been married in the county since June.
The Williams Institute’s study estimated that about half of the state’s 9,179 same-sex couples—or 4,590 couples—would choose to marry within the first three years of legalized same-sex marriage. If Wisconsin follows other states’ pattern, about half of those couples deciding to get married would do so within the first year of legalized same-sex marriage.
Here’s how the Williams Institute estimates marriage equality will stimulate Wisconsin’s economy in the next three years:
n Total spending on same-sex weddings and related tourism would generate $34.3 million, with $21.9 million spent in the first year of legalization
n An estimated $1.9 million in sales tax revenue would be produced by these weddings
n Roughly 196 to 589 part- and full-time jobs would be created to meet the needs of same-sex weddings
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n More than 73,000 out-of-state guests are predicted to spend $7 million in Wisconsin when they attend LGBT weddings
These estimates are on the conservative side, so Wisconsin could see even more than $34 million generated by marriage equality.
The Williams Institute predicted that couples who live in states that still ban same-sex marriage—such as Michigan—could decide to marry in Wisconsin. However, the spending on these weddings wasn’t included in the report.
“I hope they come across on the ferry and spend their money here,” Rae said.
In addition, the Williams Institute used very conservative estimates for LGBT couples’ spending on their weddings. Different-sex couples on average spent $23,782 on their weddings in 2012, according to The Wedding Report. But same-sex couples may not have the support of their families and help with covering the cost of their wedding, the Williams Institute noted. Therefore, its researchers estimated that same-sex couples would spend just $5,946 on each of their weddings, about a quarter of the cost of an opposite-sex couple’s wedding.
First Wisconsin LGBT Wedding Expo
Rae told the Shepherd that he was excited by the economic boost provided by marriage equality. Last week, the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce hosted the state’s first wedding expo, attended by more than 250 individuals and 54 vendors.
Rae said the chamber launched the expo to connect couples with businesses that share their values and support their weddings. Shortly before marriage equality was legalized in Wisconsin, Rae said he’d fielded a call from someone who was planning his wedding but was rejected by a DJ who wouldn’t perform at a same-sex wedding. Rae provided him with a list of DJs who were chamber members, then decided to organize the expo.
“Once marriage equality came down in October I started getting tons of calls from people looking for event space and caterers and photographers,” Rae said. “Very quickly I realized the economic impact that marriage equality will have on our LGBT-owned and –allied small businesses in the state.”
In addition to spending on their weddings, Rae added that same-sex couples also would boost the local economy by using attorneys for legal matters, such as deeds on homes, as well as by choosing to live and work in Wisconsin instead of moving to a more LGBT-friendly state.
