[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/24-wedding-vendors-donated-a-wedding-to-two-grooms-rejected-by-bigoted-venue\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/24-wedding-vendors-donated-a-wedding-to-two-grooms-rejected-by-bigoted-venue\/","headline":"24 wedding vendors donated a wedding to two grooms rejected by bigoted venue","name":"24 wedding vendors donated a wedding to two grooms rejected by bigoted venue","description":"Aaron Lucero and Jeff Cannon were turned away by the Venue at Waterstone, so 24 LGBTQ+ inclusive Texas wedding vendors are donating a free wedding to them.","datePublished":"2019-12-18","dateModified":"2019-12-19","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/author\/alainaleary\/#Person","name":"Fin Leary","url":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/author\/alainaleary\/","identifier":6376,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/2d51014ed1230c3de5b543787b5bebf7ad45072e559a4cdb76347a56854d47a4?s=96&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/2d51014ed1230c3de5b543787b5bebf7ad45072e559a4cdb76347a56854d47a4?s=96&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Equally Wed","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"http:\/\/equallywed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/equally-wed-lgbtq-weddings-logo.jpg","url":"http:\/\/equallywed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/equally-wed-lgbtq-weddings-logo.jpg","width":218,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Highlights71.jpg","url":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Highlights71.jpg","height":796,"width":1200},"url":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/24-wedding-vendors-donated-a-wedding-to-two-grooms-rejected-by-bigoted-venue\/","about":["Real LGBTQ+ Weddings"],"wordCount":687,"keywords":["Aaron Lucero","donated","gay wedding","Jeffrey Cannon","Texas","two grooms","Venue at Waterstone"],"articleBody":"At the beginning of 2019, Aaron Lucero and Jeffrey Cannon began wedding planning for their anticipated November 2019 wedding. The two envisioned a Texas wedding with a country vibe and scheduled a visit to the\u00a0Venue at Waterstone in Celina, a wedding venue in Celina, Texas. The couple was turned away because the Venue at Waterstone doesn’t host same-sex weddings, in accordance with the owner’s religious beliefs.\u201cIt was like a punch in the gut,\u201d Jeff Cannon told Equally Wed. He and Lucero had researched extensively before setting up tours of potential venues. \u201cWe are aware that not everyone agrees with gay marriage and we didn\u2019t want to patronize a place where we were not welcome.\u201d There was no indication that the Celina-based venue didn’t accept same-sex weddings on their website.The couple began getting discouraged about the idea of having a Texas wedding after several other venues implied that they weren’t “equipped” enough to host the event. \u201cIt made us feel that even if we found a venue that would host our wedding, they would prefer not to,\u201d Cannon explained.Fortunately for the couple, Lynn Jackson, owner of the wedding planning business\u00a0Fit & Fab Weddings in Frisco, Texas, heard about the discrimination. \u201cI wanted to help make things right,\u201d Jackson told Equally Wed. She had recently coordinated a wedding at the Venue at Waterstone without knowing the venue\u2019s anti-LGBTQ+ policy. Jackson offered her wedding planning services to Lucero and Cannon for free in response to the bigotry they’d faced in the wedding industry. It wasn’t long before Whispering Oaks, a rustic barn venue in Valley View, Texas, reached out to the couple to offer to host their wedding for free.RELATED: 19 LGBTQ+ INCLUSIVE TEXAS WEDDING VENDORS SAVE THE DAY FOR TWO GROOMS REJECTED BY BIGOTED VENUEFrom there, more wedding professionals began contacting Jackson or the couple directly to offer donations of wedding services. \u201cWe are now planning a wedding that we never dreamed possible and it is due to the fact that so many of our fellow Texans have chosen to reject discrimination and take a stand,\u201d Cannon told Equally Wed. \u201cThis is the Texas that we know and love, and why we wanted to get married here.\u201dThe couple’s rustic Texas wedding took place on November 17, 2019, and included Mexican influences; Lucero was born in Mexico and raised in Dallas. Their wedding had a fall color scheme, Texas BBQ, country dancing and mariachis.SEARCH FOR LGBTQ+ FRIENDLY WEDDING VENDORSPARTICIPATING VENDORS AND SERVICE PROVIDERS THAT DONATED TO LUCERO AND CANNON’S WEDDINGVenue: Whispering Oaks (donated venue for ceremony and reception)Bartender: Tilt Cocktail Events (donated bartending services)Alcohol: HD Liquid Catering (donated beer and wine for 200 guests)Catering:\u00a0Five Star Event Services (donated catering of appetizers, dinner, non-alcoholic drinks, china, glassware and flatware)Cake Designer: Posh Cakes by Shane (donated wedding cake)Cake Balls: Cakettes (donate cake ball desserts)DJ:\u00a0Toast Entertainment (donated DJ and emcee services)Favors:\u00a0Yelibelly (donated favors for guests)CreativeDesigner: Joche W. Events (donated creative design, florals and decor for ceremony site and reception)Florist: CD Designs (donated florals and decor for cocktail hour and wooden bars)Hair and Makeup: Three Zero Six – Hairstyling and Makeup Artistry (donated hair and makeup for the couple and their wedding party)Limo: Prime Limo (donated limo service for the couple at sendoff)Linens:\u00a0AM Linen Rentals (donated linens and napkins)Musicians:\u00a0Serenata Strings (donated musicians for ceremony)Rentals: One Fine Day LLC (donated decor rentals, design installations and partnering with Fit & Fab Weddings on planning services)Photo Booth:\u00a0The Snap Pack (donated a photo booth)Photographer:\u00a0Michael Bush (donated full wedding day photography)Planner:\u00a0Fit & Fab Weddings (donated full-service wedding planning)Printer:\u00a0The UPS Store (donated printing of all stationery)Servers:\u00a0Premium Event Staffing & Jen Rainey Events (donated serving staff services)Stationery: Stephanie Powell Creative (donated design of all stationery)Tuxedos: Generation Tux (donated tuxedos for the couple and wedding party)Videographer: Chevy Chey Photo (donated full wedding day photography)Officiant: Chris Ahrens, friend of the couple (donated time as an officiant)"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"24 wedding vendors donated a wedding to two grooms rejected by bigoted venue","item":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/24-wedding-vendors-donated-a-wedding-to-two-grooms-rejected-by-bigoted-venue\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]