Wedding Vendors Line Up for Lesbian Couple Denied Service at Inne of the Abingtons


Desiree Mark of Greenfield Township wants to get married without any fuss—but she was taken aback last week when North Abington wedding vendor Inne of the Abingtons told her that, “Unfortunately, we do not hold same sex marriages at our facility. … I truly do hope you find somewhere that will fulfill all your wedding dreams.”

Mark shared the message with her mother, who blasted it on Facebook, creating a social media firestorm that caused other local wedding vendors to take notice. What happened next is kind of just lovely. More from The Times-Tribune.

… As she visited venues Thursday, such as the gay- and lesbian-friendly Colonnade in Scranton, where the staff already knew what she had experienced. Disc jockeys, florists and venues reached out to offer discounted or free services. …

The Hilton Scranton & Conference Center offered to host the Mark wedding for up to 150 people for a symbolic price of $2,015, in expectation that state Legislature will pass the LGBT anti-discrimination bill in 2015. …

Central Park Flowers in Olyphant is ready to help, offering a free flower package to the couple. …

Glenn Howey, of Jessup-based Jus4Fun DJ Service, offered to donate his and his wife’s services at Miss Mark’s reception. …

Miss Mark said she will consider the offers and appreciates the gesture.

“It’s awesome that business people want to stand up for their beliefs by offering their services to us, but we aren’t looking for handouts,” she said. “We really are thankful to everyone for their kindness.”

Read more here. The Times-Tribune here.