About 4,000 people have visited a popular B.C. resort over the past week for an annual gay and lesbian ski and snowboarding event. And this year, some couples decided it was time to tie the knot after hitting the slopes.

Whistler has become a bigger draw than ever for gay tourists from the United States since the B.C. Court of Appeal court legalized same-sex marriages last July.

Whistler wedding planner Paula Mohamed says she has so far organized four same-sex ceremonies for Altitude Twelve, which wraps up on Monday.

Evan Johnson and Tom Bauer

"The only logistical difference is the cake topper on the cake," Mohamed said. "You're obviously not going to have a bride and groom... other than that, it's whatever the couples' style and personality is."

Evan Johnson and Tom Bauer came from Virginia to seal their relationship.

"We are getting married. We're really excited about having the union for ourselves, even though in Virginia, it's not quite as accepted, but it's something that we think we deserve," Johnson said.

The couple celebrated their nuptials during a candlelight-filled ceremoney before a small crowd on the weekend. They're planning a larger reception when they get back home.