Wedding planning is supposed to be a joyous time for a couple. But in an interview for The Knot's Summer 2021 issue, Jonathan Bennett and his fiancé Jaymes Vaughan opened up about the discrimination they faced while searching for a venue.
For years, the Mean Girls alum and the Celebrity Page host, who got engaged in November 2020, dreamed of tying the knot at Palace Resorts in Mexico. However, they changed their plans after they were turned away.
"When we got engaged, the owner said he couldn't marry us because we're two men and it goes against his morals," Bennett recalled. "That was a sucker punch to the gut. We decided in that moment that our wedding was bigger than us. It's our wedding, but it isn't just about us. It's about the LGBTQ+ community. We're really making a point to make this wedding very loud on purpose."
They decided they would exchange vows at the UNICO Hotel. "When we first started talking about having our wedding there, they were excited for us," Vaughan said, "which is what everyone's wedding is supposed to be."
Added Bennett, "We want to make sure that there's never a moment during the engagement or wedding planning journey that LGBTQ+ people aren't excited. We want to make sure that they are celebrated every moment and don't feel a sense of otherness. The otherness needs to be removed from gay weddings."
The ceremony, Bennett said, will take place outside near the ocean "on this beautiful platform alongside a tropical jungle."
"Simple and classic with a masculine vibe," he shared. "And roses. My mom's favorite flower was white roses so we'll incorporate those too. Our reception will be under this clear tent with string lights—very much, 'Leave your shoes at the door and come play in the sand with us.'"
During the interview, Bennett and Vaughan spoke about how they celebrate their love on Instagram and discussed the importance of visibility.
"I want to make sure that through this whole process of our love and wedding, and building our family, that we are trailblazing for the LGBTQ+ community," Bennett said. "I want everyone to realize that they are never too much, and they're always enough. That's my mission in life. You're never too much. And you're always enough. You just being you is enough."
And in his latest post, the actor revealed they're actually the first LGBTQ+ couple to cover the magazine.
"This is what representation and history looks like!" he wrote. "When the @theknot asked us to be the first LGBTQ+ couple on the cover, we were filled with so many emotions but mostly pure joy. Thank you to everyone at The Knot for not only helping us tell our story, but for telling the story of our community. From living in misery in the closet for a decades, to being on the cover of the biggest wedding magazine in the world living loudly and proudly with my fiancé is something I never would have imagined. I can only think about how younger me would feel, in small town Ohio, standing in line with his mom at the grocery store and looking over to see two men in love on wedding a magazine. Representation matters. Thank you @theknot for being such advocates for the LGBTQ+ community and taking actions to make people feel safe and celebrated."