SAME SEX, DIFFERENT WEDDING MAGAZINE
Bond, the exclusive wedding magazine with inclusive content for LGBT couples getting hitched.

San Francisco, May 15, 2008 — The hard-won fight for marriage equality in California merits a momentous celebration as singular as its victory. As gays and lesbians change the face of the married couple, San Francisco–based Bond puts a new spin on the wedding magazine.

Catering to modern marriage-minded couples whose love and commitment go beyond the boundaries of gender, race or tradition, Bond is the first magazine to target weddings for both straight and gay couples—seeing them as part of a single, emerging demographic.

Bond founder Lynn Tsutsumi began thinking about marriage, and the meaning of the institution today, when she became engaged in 2002. A self-described “fag hag,” Lynn had difficulty conceiving her own wedding knowing that so many of her friends were denied the right of marriage, and she was disappointed by the narrow focus of the traditional wedding industry. As Lynn saw it, gay marriage was a fact—legal or not—and who could better put on a fabulous wedding shindig than her stylish gay friends?

Lynn began piecing together her wedding based on her own contemporary ideal of marriage, and thus planted the seeds for Bond. The magazine would represent a global vision of love and partnership, with exclusively tasteful and luxurious editorial that is inclusive of all races and sexual orientations. When, in 2004, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom enacted the “Month of Love” and married more than 4,000 same-sex couples, Lynn knew that the time for Bond had come. Same-sex couples also enjoy marriage rights in the Netherlands, Spain, Belgium, Great Britain and South Africa.

Currently Bond is expanding its web offerings by adding Gay, Green and Destination sections, along with forums, blogs, and resources for style and ideas, plus personalized wedding pages that can be customized by users. For Gay couples, Bond has a quick one-page resource that clarifies all the details of the historic May 15th California Supreme Court decision.

In addition to her duties as Bond Editor-in-Chief, Lynn Tsutsumi will be officiating the July 19 wedding of Bond Accessories Editor Marco Querci. He and his partner, Bond Art Director Clinton Curtis, will fly to San Francisco from New York to enjoy some California justice by getting married in the Mission District.

In 2007, Bond’s limited edition Issue Zero debuted with three collectible covers representing gay, lesbian, straight and multi-ethnic couples. With a fresh view to weddings, Bond boasts cutting-edge design, world-class photography, straight-from-the-runway style tips, and eco-friendly resources. Bond was named one of the 30 Most Notable Magazine Launches of 2007 by Mr. Magazine.

As a new group of socially conscious same-sex couples prepares to wed in California, experts expect a dramatic jump in the $72 billion national wedding industry. With the average American wedding ceremony costing $27,852, Forbes predicts that legalizing gay weddings could add an additional $16 billion in economic activity. With LGBT couples beginning to say “I do” just two weeks before Pride weekend, the city of San Francisco—once again a gay marriage mecca—is getting ready for the boom.

“My closest friends finally have the marriage rights they deserve,” Lynn says. “Now I’m excited to get married.” She will wed her longtime partner, Alasdair, in Scotland next year.

About BOND

Bond is a glossy publication and website that gives the modern, urban, socially aware couple—regardless of sexual orientation, gender or race—an alternative resource to help ponder, plan and execute the wedding or commitment ceremony that makes sense to them. An international team of contributors with a forward-thinking perspective on weddings gives readers the tools they want and need in order to marry with their own sense of style and occasion.

“Exclusively inclusive,” Bond boasts cutting-edge design, swoon-worthy photos, straight-from-the-runway style tips—tailored suits for the no-fuss woman, lingerie for non-conformists—and green resources ranging from organic caterers and biodynamic wines to charitable registries and advice for reducing your carbon footprint.

At 116 pages, Bond’s Issue Zero includes a focused guide to getting hitched in San Francisco, including local ceremony venues, shopping, dining and culture. The premiere issue also looks at green weddings; “Le Lang of Love” muses on the uncharted language of lesbian nuptials; Margaret Cho offers sharp-eyed observations on her own unconventional wedding, which featured dual ceremonies in a single day, a rooster, a hen and a 19th Century Victorian dress.

Bond Issue Zero can be found in major metropolitan areas across the US and Canada, as well as select locations in Italy, France and Great Britain. Bond is also available to view online at bondmag.net and will soon be expanding their web presence with additional resources and social networking components.