A New York Wedding Venue Has Been Fined For Discriminating Against a Same-Sex Couple [VIDEO]

Most likely everything went as planned for the lucky couple at the last wedding reception you attended. Things did not go as planned for Jennifer McCarthy and Melisa Erwin, a same-sex couple who wanted to have their celebration at an Upstate New York Farm. The venue hosts many weddings and receptions every year, just not theirs.

Liberty Ridge Farm is considered by many to be a beautiful farm near Albany, New York. They also hosts Halloween events and all sorts of parties and gatherings. But now their decision to pick and choose who they want to market to, appears to have cost them dearly.

There were many events were scheduled in 2012 at Liberty Ridge Farm, and, there was room for Jennifer and Melissa, but, the venue said no. Now they must now pay the couple $1500 each for their alleged discrimination along with additional fines including $10,000 to the state of New York.

ReligiousNews.com says that is was determined that they:

“unlawfully discriminated against complainants solely on the basis of their sexual orientation”

It’s also being reported that the Giffords refused to pay the $13,000 in fines and appealed the ruling, but to no avail.

Adam Winkler who is a law professor at the University of California says that this case is unique because public accommodation laws usually don’t apply to private residences, which is what the Giffords claim, but, that was also rejected.

The good news is that McCarthy and Erwin are now married, despite the difficulties with Liberty Ridge Farm.

[Daily Mail]