On Saturday, Freddie Lutz, the owner of Arlington鈥檚 Freddie鈥檚 Beach Bar and Restaurant will tie the knot with Johnny Cervantes, his partner of 28 years, on top of a wedding chapel float during the WorldPride Parade in D.C.
It was 50 years ago when Lutz skipped D.C.鈥檚 first Pride out of fear of losing his job.
鈥淚 was ma卯tre d’ downtown at a fancy schmancy restaurant called Ponte Vecchio. We had a lot of high-profile Republican customers at the restaurant, and I was afraid my picture would be in the paper,鈥� Lutz said. 鈥淣ow I’m getting married to my partner on a wedding chapel float. So we’ve come a long way.鈥�
For 24 years, Freddie鈥檚 Beach Bar and Restaurant has welcomed members of the LGBTQ+ community, their allies and straight people.
Lutz said he believes karaoke really helped bond all of the groups when Freddie鈥檚 first opened its doors.
The Equality Chamber Foundation, which is the nonprofit sibling of the Equality Chamber of Commerce, approached Lutz at his Freddie’s Beach Bar and Restaurant Rehoboth location about getting married on their float.
Kat Dean, the director of the Equality Chamber Foundation, told 91欧美激情 they wanted to do something that was big and stood up for the community.
Lutz said his dream was to be married on a float in the Pride parade.
鈥淭he problem is, I know so many people, it’s hard to say where I could cut the invitation lid off. This way we’re inviting the entire world to our wedding,” Lutz said.
Along with the Beach Bars, Lutz also now owns the Italian restaurant Federico Ristorante Italiano, and still lives in the same house he鈥檚 lived in since he was 3 years old. Known for wearing outfits that would make Liberace seem subtle, Lutz jokingly said his wedding attire would be “understated and low-key.鈥�
While Lutz will be clad in a white bow tie and tails, Cervantes will be in black with a black top hat.
鈥淚 ordered 364 yards of white tulle with silver glitter in it. I ordered something like 20 trains, because last week I decided I had to have a train. So, yeah, it’s gonna be dramatic,鈥� Lutz said.
One disappointment for Lutz is he wanted to have his grand niece and nephew on the float as flower girl and ring bearer, but with the political climate he didn鈥檛 want to put them in harm’s way.
鈥淭he fact that I have to think that way is pretty terrible,鈥� Lutz said. 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 be afraid. You have to think of Stonewall. You have to stand up for your rights.鈥�
The couple have been together for 28 years, Lutz joked they wanted to make sure they liked each other before they rushed into anything.
鈥淚 asked Johnny if he wanted to get married when they legalized gay marriage in Virginia, and he said, ‘No, but you can take me to Tiffany’s,’鈥� Lutz said.
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