mental_floss magazine
SUBSCRIBE >
GIFT SUBSCRIPTIONS >
DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTIONS >
subscriber services >
The most traditional places to get married are a religious facility, the government office that issues marriage licenses, a resort, or a home. I’ve been married in each. Then there are those few people who hold their wedding ceremony at a retail outlet, while business as usual goes on around them. Some do it for sentimental reasons, some do it to save money, some do it for the publicity, and some just because they got a kick out of it.
1. The Apple Store
Ya Ting Li and Joshua Li met at the Apple store on Fifth Avenue in New York City. Both Apple fans, they decided that’s where they wanted to get married. Officiant Henry Hu shopped for a black turtleneck to wear to the wedding. Just after midnight on Valentines Day, 2010 about thirty friends witnessed the ceremony at the always-open Apple store. A quote from Apple founder Steve Jobs was included in the vows.
“You have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down.”
Apple did not authorize the wedding, but allowed it to proceed.
2. Waffle House
George “Bubba” Mathis and Pamela Christian got married at the Dacula, Georgia Waffle House on Independence Day, 2008. After nine years together, they gave up on getting a day off together to tie the knot and just did it at their workplace. They had been determined to get married on July 4th (which was their “anniversary,” although they didn’t say what milestone they wanted to celebrate). For several years, the bride had to work on the holiday. The bride actually got the day off at the last minute, but Bubba had to work. They were married in the parking lot of the diner. See more pictures in this gallery.
3. White Castle
Jeff and Terry Parks of Indianapolis got married just last week at a local White Castle outlet. They won the wedding, catered of course, from radio station X103. The vows were as unconventional as the setting.
“Dearly beloved we are gathered here today in the presence of the assistant manager and head cook in the hallowed and aroma filled halls of the Shelby Street White Castle. With this ring do you promise to allow Terri to keep you under her thumb and furthermore vow that together and forever you will rock and roll all night and party all day?”
This was not the first White Castle wedding. Kurby and Krystal McDonald were married in the London, Kentucky franchise in 2009, and Cyndie Nunamaker and Brian Wilson (and two other couples) were married at a Columbus, Ohio, restaurant in 2008.
4. Taco Bell
Paul and Caragh Brooks spent a total of about $200 on their wedding, in front of family and friends at a Taco Bell restaurant in Normal, Illinois. It was where they enjoyed hanging out, and since they were trying to save money on the ceremony, an unconventional location made it all the more memorable. She was in Australia and he was in Illinois when they met over the internet a year earlier.
5. KFC
Alex Bury and and Jack Norris performed their nuptials at a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant in Toronto, despite the facts that they are both vegans! The 2008 wedding was a political statement, as they were celebrating KFC Canada’s agreement to implement more humane methods of chicken farming. The groom is an employee of PETA. The wedding party was served the recently-introduced KFC vegan sandwich.
6. Walmart
Crystal Newsome and Robert Vickrey exchanged vows at the Walmart store in York, Nebraska, last fall. It only made sense, as Vickrey is the grocery manager and has been a Walmart employee for twelve years. Newsome has five years of Walmart experience under her belt, and is the deli manager. The ceremony took place in the lawn and garden department. Walmart weddings have also occurred in West Sacramento, California, Palm Harbor, Florida, Epping, New Hampshire, and other Walmarts.
7. McDonalds
Trisha Lynn Esteppe and Tyree Henderson of Fairborn, Ohio, considered McDonalds a romantic place to get married. So they did, in 2006. Both Esteppe and Henderson worked at the fast food restaurant where they met three years earlier. Patrons continued to order food during the ceremony. McDonalds weddings have also occurred in Long Island, New York, and Scottsdale, Arizona.
See also: Your Wedding: Star Trek or Star Wars? and 8 Very Different Weddings to Remember
Comments (40)
Comment
- Follow mental_floss
I wonder if I can talk my fiance into getting married at wal-mart we are there every weekend anyway. I don’t think he’d mind we could get married the go grocery shopping!
posted by jo on 3-11-2010 at 9:42 am
I’m not surprised by the Waffle House one. I worked there throughout high school and some during my adult life, and I could never get a requested day off. It has a lot to do with the management they hire. I had a dr’s note not to work due to being sick, and I was still put on the schedule.
posted by tinkerschnitzel on 3-11-2010 at 9:53 am
Well that settles it then, I guess if I ever decide to settle down, it will have to be at my local Bass Pro Shop. But I’m not sure which department would be best: camping or bait and tackle?
posted by Chris on 3-11-2010 at 9:59 am
A couple from Brooklyn got married in zero gravity and I was seethingly jealous I hadn’t thought of it first.
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/brooklyn/2009/06/03/2009-06-03_so_in_love_they_could_float_away_bklyn_couple_to_wed_in_zero_gravity.html
posted by Stephanie on 3-11-2010 at 10:13 am
friends of mine got married at tim hortons. my hubby officiated and they used honey crullers as rings(it was a spur-of-the-moment thing).afterwards, timmies sent them one of their official coffee-makers as a wedding gift!
over 10 yrs and they are still together!
posted by squ1nt on 3-11-2010 at 10:19 am
Hometown pride! I’m a Normal, IL native, but had no idea this had happened there.
posted by Jamie on 3-11-2010 at 10:33 am
This isn’t anything new. When I was an assistant manager at McDonald’s, the head manager had gotten married in the Sebring, FL McDonald’s. That would have been back in the 80′s. By 1993 they were divorced. When I got engaged people said I needed to have the ceremony in the McD’s I was working in since that was where I had met my husband to be. I said no way.
posted by Mary on 3-11-2010 at 11:12 am
I am suddenly reminded of Jeff Dunham’s redneck puppet Bubba J…who got married at Walmart because it was easier to return the gifts!
posted by Mary on 3-11-2010 at 11:15 am
I didn’t know KFC had a vegan sandwich! Yay!
posted by septerr on 3-11-2010 at 11:19 am
I wonder how many people got divorced at a Fast Food or retail location.
posted by IFB on 3-11-2010 at 11:59 am
Yeah, this is totally a redneck joke.
I just didn’t realize he was using factual material though.
posted by BlueSkys21 on 3-11-2010 at 12:06 pm
I believe only the Canadian KFCs have the vegan sandwiches.
posted by Kevin on 3-11-2010 at 12:09 pm
While I would not want to get married at a fast food place, something like Barnes & Noble might be a different matter.
posted by amaneaux on 3-11-2010 at 12:11 pm
@IFB
Well, my ex told me he didn’t want to be married anyomore while leaving Cracker Barrel, and we hashed out the seperation agreement at IHOP so…..there’s one for ya!
posted by KerriD on 3-11-2010 at 12:15 pm
Holy crap! I live two miles from the Shelby Street White Castle in Indy. This doesn’t surprise me at all.
posted by Wondersaurus Rex on 3-11-2010 at 12:28 pm
Well, KerriD, I hope he paid for the meals too! :-D
posted by Hyacinth on 3-11-2010 at 1:07 pm
Awesomeness!!!! My hometown and current place of residence is featured!!!
posted by MelissaIL on 3-11-2010 at 1:07 pm
Krystal McDonald got married at White Castle? Who was the maid of honor? Wendy?
recaptcha: the nugget… awesome
posted by AAAKnight on 3-11-2010 at 1:28 pm
No class.
posted by Tammy on 3-11-2010 at 1:48 pm
I never understand when people can’t get the day of their wedding off. What kind of bitter employers do these people work for?!
posted by Shash on 3-11-2010 at 1:50 pm
Shash, it happened to me once. I had to get married on Sunday because it was my only day off, then be back at work Monday. The supervisor who denied me took three weeks off later that summer to settle an estate.
posted by Miss Cellania on 3-11-2010 at 2:05 pm
Paul Brooks is a friend of mine I met in college (Taco Bell Wedding). He’s an excellent videographer/director. Really cool, down-to-earth guy, if slightly quirky in a nice way. The Taco Bell staff searched through all the hot sauce packets for the ones that had “Will you Marry me?” on them for the ceremony.
posted by Todd on 3-11-2010 at 3:21 pm
Here in NJ, we have had some wicked snow storms this year and I saw a story on the news that a wedding was called off by the venue due to the snow. So the happy couple got married at the local Wegmans Grocery Store. The bride worked at the store and they were opened anyway. I’m sure the food was even tastier then the caterers too, Wegmans has the best food!
posted by Mavis on 3-11-2010 at 4:04 pm
I’ve actually entertained the idea of getting married at Borders, ’cause that’s where we first met.
posted by MH on 3-11-2010 at 5:53 pm
I told my boyfriend the only way I’d have a big wedding (and let’s face it, his dad has 9 siblings and his mom has 4 and they all have kids, so any wedding would have to be big just to include his side of the guests) is if we have it at Coors Field (the baseball stadium in Denver, CO). And I want the mascot, a purple triceratops name Dinger, to be involved. Maybe as ringbearer? He could wear the rings on his horns….Don’t think fast food restaurant would do it for me, but baseball game? I’m totally there and added bonus — baseball stadiums have liquor licenses.
posted by SM on 3-11-2010 at 8:47 pm
You should have mentioned the weddings at Voodoo Doughnut in Portland, OR.
posted by Mac on 3-11-2010 at 9:50 pm
I’m trying to convince my fiance that we should get married at the comic book shop we always go to lol.
posted by Paula on 3-11-2010 at 10:11 pm
I think getting married in unusual place is a great idea. I love Walmart.
posted by Melesha on 3-12-2010 at 12:34 am
AAA Knight- LOL! And our new Internet engine-Foxfire- is actually doing spell check as I type!
posted by Sara in Al on 3-12-2010 at 11:27 am
My husband and I both worked at Sam’s Club (Wal-mart) when we got engaged. Shortly after our engagement, they started the promotion to get married in Wal-mart on 7/7/7 “lucky day.” Even though we were working on a budget (obviously), we had more class than to get married there. I’m all for getting married somewhere quirky but there’s a fine line between that and trashy.
posted by Stephanie on 3-12-2010 at 2:20 pm
To the couple at the Apple store, I hope your wedding is more substantial and less “skin deep beauty” than the products that are sold in that store. I hope your marriage lasts longer than the products which surround you.
posted by frankwick on 3-12-2010 at 4:11 pm
My wife and I were married on Halloween of 2000 at the movie theater we both worked at, in auditorium number 7. Our entire wedding cost $175; the license, the judge, the rings, her dress, even the gasoline in the car to transport ourselves there. The judge wore a neat little necktie with dancing skeletons on it for Halloween. It was a nice touch.
We are still married, still work together, still in the theater business, and never went into a cent of debt to pay for our wedding. We’re both still wearing our $10 rings too.
reCAPTCHA: on blunter (was that one of Santa’s forgotten reindeer?)
posted by Luke on 3-13-2010 at 5:20 am
I’m not married, but just getting into the 30B dollar wedding business…
Crazy how much people pay for one day when there are so many non-traditional ways to make the day memorable/special.
Would love feedback on my project http://bidchapel.com – maybe I should invite the local Tbell to join as a wedding location…
posted by keith on 3-14-2010 at 8:49 pm
My wife and I got married at a Hu-Hot. We were the first couple to ever get married at any of the Hu-Hot chains!
posted by xpurple on 3-15-2010 at 1:04 am
Well, you really can’t get any better than getting married at Walmart. That’s what every couple hopes and dreams for…right?
posted by John | Mid calf boots on 3-15-2010 at 1:44 am
It seems the hotties are at Taco Bell.
posted by Alexis on 3-15-2010 at 5:03 am
@ IFB & KerriD
LOL I hashed out my seperation agreementin a McDonalds. lol….
posted by Amanda on 3-15-2010 at 10:00 am
Now I get it. Waffle House can bring healthy bride. :-)
posted by Andre Nievo on 3-15-2010 at 5:49 pm
I’m shocked that there are no IKEA weddings mentioned in this article. If I believed in marriage, I would totally get married there!
posted by Kristin on 3-25-2010 at 12:55 pm
My brother and his now ex wife got married at the skating rink where they met. ceremony was out in the middle of the rink, then afterward we all went out and skated! including the bride in her wedding dress. what can i say? we are an odd group of people.
posted by micheleda on 5-20-2010 at 4:51 am