New Mexico: The Next Marriage Equality Destination

While Utah is trying to reverse a marriage equality ruling, New Mexico officials are embracing their new law and seeing it as an opportunity.

Authorities in cites like Taos, Santa Fe, and Albuquerque are spending money on advertising and marketing to help lure gay and lesbian couples to the state. Tourism officials hope to sell travelers on New Mexico's affordability, especially when compared to marriage equality states like California or New York. New Mexico also has the advantage of not being in proximity to any other state with marriage equality, other than Utah, which is still seemingly hostile to gay couples. Arizona, Colorado, Texas, and Oklahoma all ban same-sex marriage.

"There are 38 million people who live in states that touch New Mexico, and there are tens of thousands of same-sex couples in those states," Brad Malone, chairman of the Taos County Chamber of Commerce and innkeeper of La Posada de Taos in Taos, told the Deseret News. "Some of them are going to be coming to New Mexico to get married, and we expect 2014 to be a banner year."

Hotels and bed and breakfasts are also getting in on the action, offering packages to same-sex couples, while LGBT wedding expos are planned in Santa Fe and Albuquerque.

Our opinion: Santa Fe, especially, is charming, romantic, and historic (it was occupied by Native Americans over a 1,000 years ago, and Spanish settlers in the 16th-century). There are a bevy of beautiful resorts, fabulous restaurants, and intriguing museums including the New Mexico History Museum and the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum.