Gay marriages bring big bucks to San Francisco business

SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) - San Francisco's torrent of same-sex marriages may be making political waves across the United States, but they are also proving to be a major business boon for the city's jewelers, florists and champagne sellers.

Since the city began issuing marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples last Thursday, wedding bands, bouquets and pricey bottles of bubbly have rapidly disappeared from the counters of shops around the city for wedding celebrations.

With no advance notice that the city would undertake the controversial step to legalize their marriages, few of the more than 2,600 gay couples who tied the knot had time to engage wedding planners, choose gowns or hire pricey ballrooms.

Even so, from hotels to restaurants to bars -- and even the city's own coffers -- the marriages have been filling up San Francisco cash registers.

Jewelers reported a run on gold and silver wedding bands in all price ranges, and florists, already busy filling bouquet orders for Valentine's Day (news - web sites), said business was 15 percent to 30 percent above normal.

Hotels meanwhile experienced an influx of sudden bookings by couples flying in from other parts of the country to get hitched, and champagne dealers said sales went through the roof.

"I was selling champagne like it was going out of style, the high-end stuff" said Boyd Swartz of Castro Village Wine.

Even accounting for the fact that it was Valentine's Day weekend, said Swartz, "It was dynamite."

Although it wasn't intended as an economic measure, San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom's decision to allow same-sex marriages has given a small but palpable boost to the city's economy, which is still suffering the lingering effects of the economic downturn of 2001.

City officials were clearly happy about that, imploring the newlyweds to celebrate by spending money in the city.

"We still want you to pick a restaurant to eat at," city assessor Mabel Teng encouraged hundreds of couples waiting in line for their marriage licenses.

The marriages also gave a minor injection to the city. Each license earned the city 82 dollars, and coupled with the various fees for civil ceremonies, will garner city hall an extra half-million dollars over what it normally takes in.

Even so, that will only put a small dent in the city's 250 million dollar budget deficit.

Nowhere has the business been better than in the Castro, the busy hub of gay nightlife in San Francisco.

"The whole neighborhood has been up. Virtually all the stores have had really good business," said Swartz, whose liquor shop is in the neighborhood.

Even as the marriages have tapered off this week, Michael Ritz, owner of the Castro's Church Street Flowers, said he is still taking a constant flow of orders for bouquet deliveries with messages of congratulations for gay newlyweds.

Here comes the, uh, bride.

Let's get to know one of the lovely brides at random, shall we?

Emily Drennen (right) and Lindasusan Ulrich are ebullient after getting married at City Hall. (SF Chronicle photo)

Lindasusan, you vixen, you minx, you lovely load of woman, you! Let us learn more about you (from your very own website):

Emotional honesty and intelligent lyrics are the core of Lindasusan’s music. Composed of rich harmonies, intricate percussion, and original chord progressions, her songs look at the world head on and heart open. The eclectic, yet integrated, mix of styles reflects a songwriter whose path has taken her through degrees in nuclear fusion and Shakespeare, to sustained commitments to community activism and shamanic healing work. “I see the different aspects of my life as reflections of a single core,” says Lindasusan. “The passion I bring to a performance is the same energy I bring to my writing, to healing work, and even to organizing for social justice. It’s all about feeling the connections between people, and about the compassion that this understanding engenders. The hard part is just getting out of the way and letting it come through.”

In keeping with her versatility, Lindasusan remembers not take herself too seriously – and her wit and humor come through on stage. “I’ve always said that the show should be fun for everyone involved. If I’m having a good time, so will the audience. Of course, it helps if they’re not passed out in their pint glasses.” ...

What does activism have to do with music? For me, everything. I’m a political creature, and that necessarily comes through in my work. We all make choices about what we support in this world – make yours consciously, not tacitly. Here are a few of the causes close to my heart: Committee to Free Lori Berenson; San Francisco Bicycle Coalition; San Francisco Mime Troupe - This isn’t your tired street-fair kinda mime – this is brilliant political satire and musical theater, free in Bay Area parks every summer. For example, the hilarious 2001 show, called “1600 Transylvania Avenue,” gave an alternate view of the scary folks inhabiting the White House (of Horrors); School of the Americas Watch; BiNet USA - BiNet USA is a national voice for bisexuals and the bisexual movement from a grassroots perspective; Mobilization to Free Mumia Abu-Jamal; Abolishing the death penalty; Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting.

Oh good, a photo:

Me, Emily, and fellow bi singer/songwriter Tom Robinson, at a house concert in San Francisco [Question: it she's "bi," why is she marrying a woman? Shouldn't she leave her options open?]

Well, good luck with all that, Lindasusan, and a suggestion: Nair.

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