Seattle mayor officiates same-sex wedding

Some Emerald City businesses rolled out the red carpet for a same-sex couple Wednesday night, part of an effort to make western Washington a destination for gays and lesbians across the country.
"It says a lot about our city as a place of tolerance," said Seattle Mayor Ed Murray.
Murray, who is openly gay, officiated the wedding of Zachary Baker and Samuel Busch at Canlis restaurant. The couple, who live in St. Paul, MN, were the first winners of The Marry Me in Seattle program.
"I was flipping through Out Magazine and there was just a little sidebar that said 'hey, come get married in Seattle,'" Baker said. "I said – I don't mind if I do! I put my name in."
The two won out of about 300 couples who applied.
"We knew this would be an attractive place to get married, to come visit," said Tom Norwalk, President of Visit Seattle, the city's nonprofit tourism marketing arm. "It's just so emblematic of how warm and welcoming Seattle is to same-sex marriages or relationships. For us it's really to show that off, but really to invite the world here."
It could also mean big business.
Norwalk said more than 10 percent of the traveling public are gay and lesbians travelers.
"It's one of the more sought-after demographics in the world for travel, somewhat recession-proof," he said. "It's been a market that most savvy hotel companies, restaurants, cruise lines, airlines have gone after for 15 to 20 years."
Businesses were more than willing to take part. Visit Seattle put together the wedding package through the help of locals businesses.
"Seattle has just opened us with opened arms," Samuel Busch said.
As another way to welcome the two, Seattle's Great Wheel and other very visible landmarks turned rainbow colors, a sign of gay pride.
"Just being here and being able to kind of be touristy but at the same time have the big day to look to – has just been the happiest week of our lives," Baker said. "If I was to go back to my hometown community and say 'hey, I'm getting married' there could be some awkwardness. Maybe we don't even tell them. Here, when you tell someone the mayor is marrying us on Wednesday – they're like – ah, that's great, and they don't miss a beat."

Three more wedding trips are available on the first Wednesday of each month until December. You can see more of Zac and Sam's story on social media by using #MarryMeInSeattle.