On June 26, 2015, in an historic decision, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that same-sex marriage was legal in all 50 states. Three years later, the topic is still a hotbed of discussion among church, state and seemingly everyone between.
Earlier this month, the Supreme Court sided with a Colorado man who refused to make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple, elevating the conversation on whether businesses can inject religious objections when it comes to serving the LGBTQ community. Earlier this year, the Louisiana Senate Committee voted 4-1 in a March vote to kill legislation that would add gender neutral language to Louisiana’s marriage and parental state laws.
In May, a Gallup poll concluded that 67 percent of all Americans expressed approval of same-sex marriage in the United States, which marks the highest percentage the research institute has seen in the more than 20 years it’s been polling on the subject. USA Today reports, “In the latest poll, 83 percent of respondents who identified as Democrats said they support legal recognition of same-sex marriage, while 44 percent of Republican respondents and 71 percent of independents expressed support.” It also says that the growing number of acceptance since the 2015 ruling is due to a greater number of the LGBTQ community marrying, with more than 10.4 percent married to a same-sex partner.
New Orleans has been a popular destination for weddings and same-sex commitment ceremonies for years. Wedding industry insiders tell “Let Them Eat Cake,” that since the Supreme Court decision in 2015, they’ve seen a marked increase in same-sex weddings, both for local and destination couples. In recent months, New Orleans & Company (formerly the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau), relaunched its New Orleans Weddings site, which assists couples in planning their weddings, and now includes LGBT Wedding Planning pages. Visit the main page or the LGBT Wedding Planning pages for tools, venue and vendor information.
As legislation continues to impact the industry for both wedding businesses and couples seeking to marry on the local, state and national level, it’s all the more important for everyone to stay informed and plan ahead to avoid glitches in the planning process and on the Big Day.
Click here to read our original 2015 reporting
