Ron Miller was looking forward to selling some of his huge stash of same-sex marriage cards last week.

Those hopes got dashed, however, when a federal appeals court put on hold the question of whether such marriages can be held in California.

“It really upset a lot of people in the gay community,” said the 50-year-old businessman, who is in a committed same-sex relationship and would like to get married himself.

Miller is founder of Village Lighthouse Inc., a seven-year-old Hollywood greeting card maker best known for cards aimed at the homosexual market. The company still has thousands of unsold wedding cards in storage from the five-month period when same-sex marriages were legal in 2008.

Miller hopes those days will come again. In fact, he said, as an overturn appeared imminent for Proposition 8 – a state law banning same-sex marriage – his company had experienced a 40 percent increase in orders for wedding, union, anniversary, love and commitment cards in just the past month.

“This will change our business,” predicted Miller.

Village Lighthouse is headquartered on Santa Monica Boulevard, where Miller and nine employees design calendars, greeting cards, posters, post cards and refrigerator magnets. The products are mostly printed at local shops and distributes to about 500 outlets worldwide.

Revenue is up to $2.2 million annually, including more than $350,000 in sales of gay-related cards.

The gay-oriented marriage cards are adorned with depictions ranging from two male figures on a wedding cake next to the caption “Happily Ever After” to interlocking wedding rings labeled “Gorgeous Grooms” or “Beautiful Brides.”

“Our gay card business could easily double in the next 18 to 24 months. I think (same-sex wedding cards) are going to spread like wildfire; the market is really hungry for this product,” he said.

That is, of course, if the ban actually gets overturned.

Last week’s court decision put the matter on hold, at least until December, thus freezing the plans of scores of gay couples who had expected to get married any day. The ruling overturned an earlier U.S. district court decision holding that Proposition 8 violates the U.S. Constitution and therefore same-sex marriages could resume. Proposition 8 was the second time California voters turned down the notion of same-sex marriages. The issue is likely to ultimately be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court.

In the meantime, Miller said, he’s been contacting some of the hundreds of card and specialty shops his company supplies, encouraging them to order and push the cards.

However, at least one retail outlet, West Hollywood clothing and gifts boutique Block Party, which has carried Village Lighthouse products for years, is holding off on orders.

“We’ve seen a slight uptick in card sales since Proposition 8 has been in the news,” manager Jim Hieronymus said. “If and when it gets overturned, I would imagine there will be a rush of sales.”

Even industry leader Hallmark is getting into the game and has no plans to exit despite the legal uncertainty. Since 2008, the Kansas City, Mo.-based company has been selling four cards specifically celebrating same-sex relationships.

The cards contain text and imagery referencing same-sex relationships that would be appropriate for either weddings, civil unions or commitment ceremonies, with none of those events specifically mentioned.

“We heard from our consumers that that’s what they wanted,” said Sarah Kolell, a company spokeswoman, who would not comment on the cards’ popularity except to say that “we’re continuing to sell them after two years.”