A lesbian couple in Kansas has publicly criticized their dream wedding venue after learning that the owners held religious beliefs against same-sex marriage.
Ali Waggy and Jessica Robinson, who had been planning to book the venue for their July 2025 wedding, were taken aback when they received an email response from the owner of The Barn at Grace Hill.
The couple had toured the venue and later told the local publication the Wichita Eagle that they were willing to put down a deposit to have their dream wedding there.
However, their dreams of getting married in the venue's "beautiful" barn came crashing down after receiving an email from venue owner.
The email stated: "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."
It continued: "Our hearts are to serve, regardless of race, creed, color, origin, sexual orientation, gender, or marital status, while maintaining our convictions and beliefs as well."
Writing on Facebook, Waggy detailed the couple's aching disappointment. "Imagine going to [your] dream wedding venue with your fiancé, kids, & parents," she wrote in a Facebook post. "A venue you’ve been emailing back and forth with for months now & you finally get to see it in person.
"Seeing it, falling even more in love with it, deciding it’s it. Your parents coming over & making lists, coming up with plans & then when you email them one last question before asking for a contract; not the person you’ve been emailing, but the owner responds like this."
She continued: "Basically 'it’s illegal for me to tell you you can’t use it; so you can. We will take your money, but we’re not going to celebrate your marriage & want to make sure you know that' not to mention we were going to hire them as our wedding coordinator too."
"I’ve cried all night… People suck," Waggy added, before asking her loved ones for recommendations for venues.
Although the venue didn't outright ban them from using the site, the couple decided against booking it due to concerns about inclusivity. Waggy expressed her disappointment, telling the Wichita Eagle: "I think it's more upsetting that we're still dealing with this, and it's 2024."
She also criticized the venue for being willing to accept their money solely because it was "illegal" to refuse them.
Waggy, a preschool teacher, revealed that she "cried all night" after receiving the email, especially since they had been in discussions with the venue for several months before the owners disclosed their religious beliefs. In response to the disappointing situation, she took to Facebook to share her heartbreak and ask her friends for alternative venue suggestions.
While Waggy never anticipated her social media post would gain so much attention, it has led to an outpouring of support and recommendations for new venues. She hopes that her post will help other LGBTQ+ couples avoid similar situations, saying, "If I can help even one other person... not go through that, that's a win."
The couple has yet to respond to requests for comment, and The Barn at Grace Hill has not provided any statements regarding the incident, per The New York Post.
