Planning your big (gay) day?

There isn’t an In Style magazine devoted to gay weddings—so where do you go to find double-groom cake toppers, or a venue that’s open to booking a lesbian commitment ceremony? Enter the gay bridal show (or gay “groomal” show as the case may be).

The Catalyst Ranch—an unconventional private event venue in the West Loop—will host a wedding showcase on Saturday 22 geared to same-sex couples. While Catalyst Ranch does a brisk straight wedding business on weekends (and has hosted traditional wedding expos in the past), it’s seen an uptick in the number of same-sex commitment ceremonies being booked. “What impressed us was the attitude of those folks who [came] to have their ceremonies; they expressed their appreciation and their delight that there was such a place,” says Bobbie Soeder, vice president of sales and marketing, adding that some same-sex couples they work with felt unwelcome at other venues in the city.

The NuptEquality Fashion and Vendor Showcase will introduce marriage-minded gay and lesbian couples to its zany 10,000-square-foot loft space—filled with couches and retro furniture—and its stable of service providers, from caterers and musicians to planners and patisseries. Local fashion designers Dame Couture and Elda de la Rosa will have a runway show featuring big-day design ideas.

“We don’t feel like there’s a ‘lesbian style’ that we’re trying to cater to; we’re showing stuff that we think anybody would want to wear,” says Dame’s Holly Greenhagen, though she says “we will be showing a few more jackets and a few more pants.” De la Rosa notes that, gay or straight, “not everybody gets married in a dress.” She’s found a market for suits made from bridal fabrics, “which there’s not enough of in the bridal industry.” Both designers will show men’s fashions, as well; de la Rosa will feature color-coordinated suit pairs, while Greenhagen and Julie Fehrer of Dame are working on embellished vintage men’s suits.

Most of the vendors appearing at NuptEquality have worked with Catalyst Ranch in the past, and Soeder says they jumped at the opportunity. “They were delighted to participate and honored to be part of something that’s frankly history making,” she says.

While this is arguably the gayest season Chicago’s seen, from the Pride Parade to the Gay Games to Northalsted Market Days, battles are raging this summer over same-sex marriage both here and across the country. An ad hoc group called Protect Marriage Illinois is attempting to get a referendum on the November ballot in favor of a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage; meanwhile, President Bush has renewed his support of a federal amendment against gay marriage. The issue also has come up in state courts from California to New York, including Massachusetts, the only state where same-sex marriage is legal.

A majority of the proceeds from NuptEquality will go to Lambda Legal, a national gay-rights group fighting for marriage equality.

The NuptEquality Fashion and Vendor Showcase is Saturday 22 at Catalyst Ranch. See Check Out listings. For more info, visit www.catalystranch.com.