Las Vegas residents see boost in business after marriage

Before Oct. 9, 2014, not being able to get married in the wedding capital of the U.S. meant traveling out of state for some of Nevada's same-sex couples.

Las Vegas residents Noel and Justin Dahl, 38 and 27, respectively legally wed Oct. 5 of last year on a beach in Seattle as part of a road trip they had planned to visit family and friends.

A few days later, Nevada began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

Getting married meant sharing a last name and putting both their names on their suddenly booming business.

Noel is a photographer who specialized in same-sex weddings even before they were legal. Justin handles the accounting and advertising. Business picked up from three or four weddings to 25 before a full year had passed.

With so much going on at work, Noel said, he and Justin have postponed their own ceremony, which they intend to hold at their church. Seattle was more about making the legal part of their marriage official.

"We're still kind of enjoying the first year of marriage," Noel said.

Being legally wed is saving them money on health insurance. Both are covered through the employee plan Justin has from another job. As domestic partners, they paid $210 a month. As spouses, they pay $104 a month.

"Now that we are married, we have different goals," said Noel. "We're thinking about buying a house. We've got the pieces together now."

Contact Adelaide Chen at achen@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0281.