A florist in the US state of Washington has launched a legal appeal against a gay marriage ruling which could see the financial ruin of her business.

Baronelle Stutzman, owner of Arlene’s Flowers and Gifts, is attempting to challenge her convictions – in twin lawsuits – under anti-discrimination and consumer laws after her refusal to create floral arrangements for a same-sex wedding ceremony. The court’s sanction was handed down despite Stutzman’s pleading of religious conscience on the issue. In its ruling, the court ordered that Arlene’s Flowers comply with state anti-discrimination legislation and take orders for gay weddings, but the level of fines imposed means this aspect of the ruling is moot, as it will force the closure of the business.

Speaking ahead of the appeal, Sturtzman insisted that “it’s never about the person who walks into the shop, but about the message I’m communicating when someone asks me to ‘say it with flowers’. We should all have artistic freedom and the right to disagree without one side of a conversation being threatened by the government.”

Stutzman is being backed in her legal challenge by Alliance Defending Freedom, a group which advocates on behalf of people of faith. Commenting on the appeal, senior counsel for the group, Kristen Waggoner, said: “No-one should be faced with a choice between their freedom of speech and conscience on one hand and personal and professional ruin on the other.”