WHISTLER, B. C. - British Columbia in 2003 legalized same-sex marriages. Since then, the province has become a popular destination for weddings by Americans. It has also made Whistler a place with increasing numbers of same-sex marriages - 36 last year, compared to 14 the first year such marriages were legal.
Linda Seifred, who performs same-sex marriages in Whistler, told Pique newsmagazine that such weddings tend to be smaller affairs. "The guests tend to be true long-time friends of the couple."
Whistler annually hosts an event called WinterPride, which was expected this year to draw more than 3,000 people, about half from the United Sates, with a fifth from Australian and New Zealand, and smaller percentages from Europe and South America.