Could same-sex marriages save Las Vegas?


Apparently saying "I do" in front of a Gene Simmons impersonator just isn't cool anymore.
The number of people who choose to get married in Las Vegas has been in a free fall since 2004, with 37 percent fewer couples getting hitched in Sin City than a decade ago. These days, everyone seems to want to get married in Mexico, Hawaii, or Dubai.
But that might not be a problem if Las Vegas officials can successfully court a newly eligible demographic: same-sex couples. Ann Parsons, a marketing director for Vegas Weddings ("conveniently located across from the Marriage License Bureau on the corner of 3rd St. and Bonneville"), told the Chicago Tribune that she's hoping to revitalize her business by tapping the American same-sex couple market, and appealing to couples who are looking to renew their vows.
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"The top three things people associated with Las Vegas are gambling, shows, and weddings," Parsons told the Tribune. "Normal people get married here too, not just stars and party people. That whole hangover image of 'Let's get married tonight and annul it in the morning' is just a stereotype."
That's all well and good, but first Vegas need a game plan.
"I'd like us to increase our presence on social media," one Marriage License Bureau clerk suggested. "How about a Twitter account where everyone posts pictures of their wedding — wouldn't that be cool?"
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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
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