Hard Rock Hotel San Diego and Olivia Companies Host 100 Same-Sex Couples as They Legally Tie the Knot

Hard Rock Hotel San Diego in the famed Gaslamp Quarter

2008-10-04 22:20:46 - Two hundred blushing brides gathered yesterday at downtown San Diego's stylish Hard Rock Hotel San Diego to make their commitments legal in the city's largest all-lesbian wedding event to date since gay and lesbian couples were granted the right to marry in California.

TWO HUNDRED WOMEN MAKE WEDDING HISTORY IN DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO
Hard Rock Hotel San Diego and Olivia Companies Host 100 Same-Sex Couples as They Legally Tie the Knot

(SAN DIEGO, CA) October 4, 2008 - Following the ceremony and a lavish reception, the newlyweds - some who have been together for over 30 years - immediately embarked on a week-long Mexican Riviera honeymoon cruise. The event, arranged by Olivia Companies, the nation's premier lesbian-owned travel company, demonstrates the positive impact that same-sex marriage continues to have on California's hospitality and travel industry.

'We partnered with Olivia Companies nearly a year ago to begin coordinating this exciting event - it's no small task to plan individual dream weddings for two hundred brides,' said Matt Greene, general manager of Hard Rock Hotel San Diego. 'However, this was an extremely joyous and monumental occasion and we are so proud that Hard Rock Hotel San Diego was chosen as the site for these weddings. We wish each one of these newly-married couples the very best in their futures together.'

With a prime urban location, 40,000 square feet of event space and a team of experienced professionals, Hard Rock Hotel was Olivia's choice pick to help execute the milestone wedding ceremony and considerable reception. Rather than hold an impersonal, mass wedding ceremony in which all couples said their 'I Do's' at once, Hard Rock Hotel San Diego's event management team worked with Olivia executives to plan intimate individual ceremonies that took place throughout the day. The first marriage vows were exchanged at 2 p.m. and the final couples said their nuptials at 7 p.m. before joining a massive reception where all 200 women--accompanied by friends and family--gathered to celebrate the occasion.

'Olivia is so proud to have provided a space for almost 200 women to marry,' said Judy Dlugacz, president and founder of Olivia. 'The couples ranged in age from mid-twenties to their seventies and many have been together ten, twenty, thirty years. Imagine how significant it was to be able to finally have the legal recognition of marriage. This was truly an historic event.'

Following the weddings, the women embarked on a luxurious honeymoon cruise to the Mexican Riviera, chartered by Olivia. During the next week, the brides will enjoy an onboard commitment ceremony, champagne reception and will be joined by tennis legend Billie Jean King and LPGA star Rosie Jones. Olivia is the largest promoter of lesbian travel and services in the world, chartering entire ships, resorts and tours ranging from intimate boutique voyages in the Galapagos and France on ships holding 140 to around 300 women to Caribbean cruises on ships holding nearly 2,000. Known for its A-list entertainment, Olivia has previously featured headliners such as Melissa Etheridge, kd lang, Heart and The Indigo Girls.

About Hard Rock Hotel San Diego
Located at the entrance of the Gaslamp Quarter across from the San Diego Convention Center, Hard Rock Hotel San Diego boasts an upscale, contemporary design, signature restaurants, a sophisticated nightlife, superior customer service and, of course, the distinctive thread running through all Hard Rock properties - rock ‘n' roll. Amenities include 420 rooms and suites including 17 Rock Star Suites, over 40,000 square feet of unique meeting and event space, a world-class Nobu restaurant, and two bars − Moonstone Lounge and Sweetwater Saloon − operated by nightlife entrepreneurs Rande and Scott Gerber, founders of the Gerber Group. Additional features include Maryjane's Coffee Shop, Rock Spa and fitness center, a landscaped rooftop pool deck with private cabanas, a Rock Shop and a Pinkberry yogurt store. For more information, visit www.hardrockhotelsd.com.

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