Victorian-age Newport pub hosts its first same sex wedding
The pub may physically be old, but they're moving well into today's times after hosting their first ever same sex wedding this month.
The ceremony took place before they headed back to the pub (Image: Supplied) Locals Debbie French and Clare Clifton tied the knot in the pub, surrounded family, friends, and regulars. Landlord Craig Davies, 43, is extremely proud to have had The Red Lion pub host the reception.
He offered up the pub as a venue for the happy couple's reception after they found themselves dealing with 'some tough times', and it was quickly transformed. The traditional wooden bar and furniture found themselves draped in white and purple, creating the fairy-tale wedding the brides had envisioned.
Some help from the local community brought the day together, with everyone from caterers to a photographer pulling together to bring the big day to fruition and transform the space and turn their day into 'everything it should have been'.
The happy couple are regulars the Red Lion (Image: Supplied) Craig said: 'It was something to be proud of. It was my locals, my community, and my pub coming together to do something incredible for these ladies.'
A Cardiff native, Craig was given the extra honour of giving Debbie away at the wedding, something that he says he did with 'pride and love for the girls'.
After a night of celebration (where Craig serenaded guests with karaoke), the landlord was poring over the pub's heritage with the brides, when they realised that this would be the first ever same sex wedding they had hosted in its extensive history.
Though Craig himself identifies as gay, he says that the pub 'isn't really an LGBTQ venue'. Instead, they simply welcome people from all walks of life through their doors.
Craig had the honour of giving bridge Debbie away (Image: Supplied) Craig said: 'We're not in the stone age anymore. It's seen as an 'old man's' pub, but we've really come a long way. We all just love the girls and wanted to do something for them.
'We have the community feeling that other places don't have. The pub is already on the map for community support but absolutely came together to celebrate the girls.'
This traditional Victorian rugby pub has come a long way from the days of old, becoming an inclusive space that cares about its regulars and provides them a warmth you may not get elsewhere.
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