Legal Gay Weddings Help Argentina's Businesses

Weeks after Argentina became Latin America's first country to approve gay marriage, wedding planners are retooling for a rush of gay weddings. One company called Gay Planners helps couples choose tuxedos, cupcakes and party favors for their big day.

STEVE INSKEEP, host:

Argentina received worldwide attention in July, when it became the first country in Latin America to make gay marriage legal. Now, same-sex couples are rushing to take their vows and a new business sector is sprouting up to meet their needs gay wedding planners. NPRs Juan Forero reports from Buenos Aires.

JUAN FORERO: Andrea Pipkins colorful party favors store, in a posh district of this bustling capital, rents out little plastic toys that belt out goofy music.

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She also has plenty of noisy party horns. Everything youd need for your wedding bash. But Sergio Donoso, the younger half of a gay couple thats planning to marry, is more interested in the feather boas Pipkin rents out.

Ms. ANDREA PIPKIN: (Foreign language spoken)

Mr. SERGIO DONOSO: (Foreign language spoken)

FORERO: He wraps one around his neck.

Mr. DONOSO: Im going with the feathers, slightly, for my boyfriend and me, of course. Actually, I dont care if its gay or not, I like it, and thats it.

FORERO: Watching over all of this is Vanesa Marini, whos helping Donoso get every detail just right.

Ms. VANESA MARINI (Gay Planners): (Foreign language spoken)

Mr. DONOSO: (Foreign language spoken)

FORERO: Precious, just precious, she tells Donoso as he puts on the feathers.

Ms. MARINI: (Foreign language spoken)

FORERO: Whats important, she explains, is that Donoso and his partner have fun at their October wedding.

Marini and her associate, Miriam Perez, are in the business of fun. Their company is called Gay Planners. And they help couples pick out cakes, music, the wardrobe, the site for the post-wedding party.

Business, she says, is booming, thanks to Argentinas congress. Donoso says he and his partner have been together 17 years and theyre thrilled to finally make it official.

On this day, Marini and Perez have helped Donoso pick out cupcakes, a collection of party favors. And then theres the tux.

Ms. MARINI: (Foreign language spoken)

FORERO: At Matices, one of the citys top tailors, Marini tells Donoso that whats important is picking out something that helps him and his partner stand out.

Tito Samelnik and his wife have run Matices for nearly 40 years.�And Samelnik steps in to explain that hes accustomed to outfitting male and female couples.

Mr. TITO SAMELNIK (Matices): (Foreign language spoken)

FORERO: Samelnik says his aim for Donoso and his partner is to make sure theres balance and harmony in their wardrobe.

Mr. SAMELNIK: (Foreign language spoken)

FORERO: Moments later, Donoso is dressed, head to toe, in elegant black. He was still a little anxious.

Mr. DONOSO: Im nervous and we have so many things to do. We have to go there, go to another place, to buy these things, to choose these things and its kind of difficult, you know.

FORERO: But with Vanesa and Miriam by his side, Donoso says he feels much better about the big day.

Juan Forero, NPR News, Buenos Aires.

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INSKEEP: And we have an update on same-sex marriage in another Latin American country. The local assembly in Mexico City passed a law that granted full recognition of gay marriage. The law went into effect back in March. And in the six months since then, almost 400 same-sex marriages have been performed in Mexico City.

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