From the website of the Niagara Tourism and Convention Corporation:
In an effort to partner tourism related opportunities with the passage of the Marriage Equality Act in New York State, the Niagara Tourism and Convention Corp. (NTCC), unveiled plans Friday to hold a group wedding ceremony on July 25 in Niagara Falls, N.Y., as well as a new ‘Rainbow Romance’ package on the agency’s Niagara-USA.com reservation system.
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.”
The City of Niagara Falls clerk’s office has agreed to open its doors on Sunday July 24, which will allow couples to obtain their marriage license 24-hours in advance of the planned ceremony. The office hours will be set in the coming days.
The NTCC has coordinated with different partners in Niagara USA, to plan an event which will hosted on Goat island in Niagara Falls State Park free of charge to LGBT couples, on July 25 at 10 a.m.
The following is a breakdown of partners who have signed on to assist in the “First Official” group wedding ceremony in Niagara Falls.
Wedding Officiates will include: Pastor Marna Pritchard (First Congregational United Church of Christ), Rev. Terry Klime (Unitarian Universalist Church of Niagara), Hon. Kristen M. Grandinetti (City of Niagara Falls), Sally Fedell (The Falls Wedding Chapel)
Following the event there will be a cake and champagne toast at Niagara Falls State Park.
Harris & Lever Florists to provide flowers.
We are working with members of the Illumination Board to have the Falls be illuminated “Rainbow” colors the evening of July 24 and July 25.
Niagara Falls Mayor Paul Dyster said “This event, which will highlight Niagara Falls on an international level as a premier wedding and honeymoon destination, will serve as a tremendous economic shot in the arm for not only the area’s hotels and attractions, but for the florists, bakeries and restaurants throughout the city.” Dyster said. “Those who come here will see the efforts made by this administration in reinventing our downtown tourist district and be welcomed into a city that will once again reclaim its title as the honeymoon capital of the world.”
In addition, Niagara-USA.com will feature a ‘Rainbow Romance’ package which can be booked on its online Reservation System, providing couples with a romantic getaway that including hotel, champagne, breakfast and the option of visiting Niagara USA’s most iconic and romantic attractions such as the Niagara Wine Trail and Maid of the Mist Boat Tour.
The NTCC is now in the process of reaching out to different LGBT organizations across New York State in hopes of attracting couples to Niagara USA for this event.
Welcome to the new normal, Maggie.
H/t: Joe my God
Yutsano
I see rainbows. The symbolism has been noted.
And normal is a cycle on a washing machine. And has been in Canada since 2005. The worst thing to happen to them is a Harper majority.
Alison
I want to gay marry SP&T’s new (or new to me at least) addendum to her name.
Spaghetti Lee
I too am a fan of the new addendum. I can picture a bunch of Balloon Juice FPers wearing sunglasses and standing in front of a 40-car pileup and John says “Consider your discourse…coarsened.” Then they all walk towards the camera and something blows up behind them.
JGabriel
@Alison: That’s SP&T-ASIotCoDfo93Y to you.
.
Alison
@JGabriel – Well, *that* won’t be easy to yell out in bed.
JGabriel
@Alison: Win.
.
Cain
I was looking at some old stuff on balloon-juice and ran into this thread
haha.. John asking whether George R. R. Martin is any good..
cain
Villago Delenda Est
There’s money to be made off gay weddings.
Let’s make some money!
MikeJ
I love FEC filings.
Did you know the Obama campaign spent $151.05 at the Dunkin’ Donuts in Canton, MA and $26.93 at Einstein’s Bagels in Chicago?
Still building buckets to aggregate the free form entries on donors (make sure attorney and lawyer both pop up as the same thing, etc.)
Cain
Oh yeah, here’s another one. Sorry couldn’t help myself. It’s when John starts complaining at DougJ for queering the thread.
John sure was reasonable for a right winger back then.
burnspbesq
@Villago:
Nothing inherently wrong with making money. You make money. Why shouldn’t the florists and bakers in Buffalo get in on the act? They’re providing a valuable service, for a price that can be presumed to be fair if people are willing to pay it.
These aren’t the droids you’re looking for.
Villago Delenda Est
No, nothing inherently wrong with making money.
Just sayin’, there’s money to be made in gay weddings, just like straight weddings, so the Niagara Falls Tourism and Convention Corp is jumping in to seize the opportunity. Can’t blame them for doing it…it’s what they do.
I can’t figure out why the Mammon worshipers of the right can’t figure this part of the issue out, myself.
Sarah Proud and Tall - A Shameful Instance of the Coarsening of Discourse for over 93 Years
Yep. Ain’t it great? If people are on our side (in which Maggie Gallagher is on the other side), then I don’t care if they are doing it because they might make a bit more money.
It’s all part of the normalization process that will defeat Maggie in the end – it’s hard to want to take away people’s rights when they are the ones who stayed in your hotel or ate in your restaurant or bought matching honeymoon dildos in your shop or left you a big tip when you worked behind the bar at their wedding.
Dennis SGMM
@Villago Delenda Est:
If there was that much money to be made Walmart would be doing weddings.
Oh, shit.
asiangrrlMN
@Yutsano: Oh my god! Double rainbow! All the way!
And, I have no problem with people making monies. In fact, it’s a good reason to allow same-sex marriages!
How you be, hon?
Ms. Sarah, I want to gay-marry you and Alison. Polygamy is next!
Yutsano
@asiangrrlMN: I’m not a big believer in polygamy. No spouse of either gender can treat the two others equally. So one of them ends up with the shaft. And not in the good way.
I’m edging my way back into Her Eminence’s good graces again. A clean litterbox helps.
EDIT: Denobulan marriage is a different story. Just keep adding partners until everyone is happy.
asiangrrlMN
@Yutsano: Yeah, three is a not the best number for inclusiveness. Maybe four? Glad that the princess is deigning to associate with you once again. Yes, a clean litterbox does wonders for human-cat relations.
Yutsano
@asiangrrlMN: True. But three is a magic number.
asiangrrlMN
@Yutsano: Holy shit. I don’t remember that one at all. Woah. That’s trippy.
Here’s another song about the number 3. You’re welcome.
Yutsano
@asiangrrlMN: I couldn’t do it. That fucking twit drives me apeshit. And she can’t sing.
I need an antidote, possibly something swarthy who shares my first name.
(it’s true, look it up!)
asiangrrlMN
@Yutsano: I bailed after three seconds (poetic justice).
As for swarthy, I knew who you meant before I even clicked. Really? His real name is the same as yours? Interesting. Ohhhhh myyyyyy, he’s such a guilty pleasure!
Oldie, but goody.
Yutsano
@asiangrrlMN: I think he hit the weights for that video. Or just has for his own purposes. Either way NOM and STILL unmarried!
I go sleep now hon.
Pococurante
Uh oh, Israel is continuing its plans of Arab genocide.
Dave Ruddell
Stealing jobs from hard-working Canadians.
Ash Can
What a charming story to start the day off right. Thanks for the post, SP&T!