A Central Valley winery is apologizing after receiving backlash for refusing to host a gay wedding.
NBC-affiliate KCRA reports the Sacramento couple, Dezanea Reyes and Alex Biddle, reached out to Viaggio Winery in the Lodi area for their upcoming special day.
This was the e-mail response the winery provided to the couple's inquiry:
“While Viaggio Winery welcomes your business, we have never hosted a same-sex marriage.”
In addition, the e-mail said Viaggio Winery's owner has “a very strong personal religious belief regarding marriage, which is for marriage to be between heterosexual couples only.”
The winery's decision sparked outrage in the community, prompting the owner on Wednesday to issue an apology.
"Our staff, our customers and our community have helped me see that I was wrong. Our police has changed, effective immediately. All couples are welcome to hire our facilities for weddings and the celebrations that go with them," the statement said. "I am sincerely sorry to have caused anyone pain at a time that should be joyous."
