13 January 2024 , 12:52
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Two women have been left disappointed in their dream wedding venue after owners made clear to the lesbian couple that same-sex marriage is against their religious beliefs.
Preschool teacher Ali Waggy admitted she was left in tears after the Kansas barn she had hoped to marry her fiancée Jessica Robinson in was no longer an option after the people in charge made their feelings clear. The pair visited the site at Grace Hill, Newton, on Sunday and were prepared to pay the deposit instantly after touring the "beautiful" barn, but things quickly took a turn when they emailed the venue about payment.
She received an email from the venue's co-owner saying she wanted an "open and honest line of communication." Ali posted the email to her Facebook page, which said: “If you decide that our barn is the location you want for your wedding, we have learned that it is most fair to you to know who we are and where our heart is. And in the past, doing this at the start helps everyone feel so much better moving forward, and allows you to make the very best decision for you.
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The pair were prepared to pay a deposit for the venue before receiving the news (Facebook)"While our deeply held religious belief keeps us from celebrating anything but marriage between a man and woman, we desire to serve everyone equally and do not want to keep anyone from using our building who would like to. Our hearts are to serve, regardless of race, creed, colour, origin, sexual orientation, gender or marital status, while maintaining our convictions and beliefs as well.
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"All couples legally permitted to marry in the state of Kansas are welcome to use The Barn at Grace Hill. Sharing this with you is the only way we have found that allows everyone to move forward in the most authentic way possible."
The pair are hoping to find a new venue for their July 2025 wedding (Facebook)Despite not banning them from booking or having the wedding at their site, the couple decided not to pursue their dream venue any further after the owner's disappointing views, the Witchita Eagle reports. Heartbroken Ali said the whole thing was "more upsetting that we’re still dealing with this, and it’s 2024."
"Honestly, I just started crying hysterically, and it was pretty awful and heart-crushing," recalled Ali. But there has been a silver lining - with her post blowing up online, Ali has released she'll be able to find another dream venue before her wedding in July 2025.
Ali has dreamed of a quaint barn wedding since she was a child, and has been in contact with the venue for at least six months Even before she was engaged, Ali's heart was set on marrying at the barn.
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Ali Waggy took to Facebook to share her disappointment (Facebook)The teacher said she wasn’t looking for publicity when she posted on her social media and never expected it to get such a huge reaction. As her story began to gain attention, Ali said it was "kind of scary" to see just how many people had seen her post.
Ali explained she made the post for her Facebook friends in case "they knew of a venue that was inclusive". She added: "It just kind of blew up, and I did not expect that."
Now she says she hopes her post helps other LGBT couples to avoid having to go through the same experience she did, adding: “If I can help even one other person … not go through that, that’s a win."