Same-sex marriage to pump $683.8 million into California economy

The fiscal impact of allowing same-sex marriages in California will be $683.8 million over the next three years, generating almost 2,200 new jobs for the state, according to a study from UCLA's Williams Institute. The positive impact will come from direct spending by same-sex couples both in California and those traveling to the state from elsewhere.

"In a tough economic climate, California businesses are in a unique position to reap the wedding windfall, bringing millions of additional dollars in revenue to state businesses," said M.V. Lee Badgett, economist, research director of The Williams Institute, and coauthor of the study. Based on the past experience of Massachusetts, the Williams Institute predicts there will be 51,000 weddings of California-based couples, and an additional 68,000 marriages from out-of-state couples during the next three years.