McDonald’s in Hong Kong Now Hosts Weddings for Up to $1,275
By Carl Samson
McDonald’s Hong Kong has been offering wedding parties for couples curious to tie the knot in the presence of Big Macs, fries and a towering “cake” of Apple Pies.
Currently available at 15 branches, the wedding party comes in four different packages, starting from $2,999 Hong Kong dollars ($380) to HK$9,999 ($1,275).
The cheapest package, “Happiness Party,” comes with a two-hour venue rental, basic audio equipment and MC services. Meanwhile, the most expensive package, “Love Forever Party,” reportedly features the offers stated above as well as two balloon wedding rings, a balloon bridal bouquet, McDonald’s characters and up to 50 invitations.
However, it is unclear whether some branches of McDonald’s Hong Kong still offer the “Love Forever Party” package. As of this writing, only the Happiness Party package appear to be available on the company’s website.
Apparently, McDonald’s Hong Kong has been hosting such events since 2011, as couples increasingly opt for the unique fast food-themed ceremony.
However, it was only recently when the offer went viral, thanks to American YouTuber Safiya Nygaard, 26, who traveled to the city with her fiance Tyler Williams to experience the event first-hand.
Nygaard, who is of Indian-Danish descent, documented her McDonald’s wedding in a 22-minute video, which has received more than five million views since it was posted on Sept. 29.
Nygaard pointed out that her actual wedding will take place in the U.S., but the one held in McDonald’s Hong Kong are just as real as they provide a lawyer present.
“I was a bride. I didn’t enjoy my own party,” McDonald’s Hong Kong managing director Shirley Chang, who had a traditional wedding, told Time in 2011. “I needed to dress up beautifully, that was all. For me, there was no laughing, there was no eating.”
By offering wedding packages, McDonald’s Hong Kong not only reduces the high conventional costs but provides a meaningful “fun” celebratory experience.
“We started the program because many customers tell us that McDonald’s is where they first started dating,” McDonald’s spokesperson Jessica Lee told CNBC in 2014. “McDonald’s is where their love stories grew.”
She added, “This connection is exactly why they want to hold their wedding parties and even anniversary parties at McDonald’s — to relive sweet beginnings and bring their romantic story full circle.”
For their wedding, Nygaard and Williams purchased the Happiness Party package and various decorations of their choosing.
Unlike a traditional wedding, the party began with eating before progressing to activities.
Nygaard took delight in the options that are unavailable in the U.S. menu, such as Cheese Tea and Shake Shake Fries.
On top of the feast of fast food and chaotic balloon games, the highlight of the wedding appears to be the exchange of balloon wedding rings — which they had commissioned — and a kiss in the middle of a fry.
“Overall, I had a great time. We came, we saw, we ate, we ballooned,” Nygaard says. “I really enjoyed how they inserted fast food themes into traditional wedding rituals, which may feel more like a unique experience and not just like a wedding that happened to be at a McDonald’s.”
She believes the catering is one area that could use some improvement. “It would be nice to have something special like a ceremonial wedding burger or maybe like a nuptial dipping sauce for some unity tenders … I don’t know. Just something to think about.”
Featured Images via YouTube and Instagram / Safiya Nygaard (Left), safiyany (Right)
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