Bride Stuns Guests After Catering Wedding With $220 Worth of McDonald's

A bride decided to surprise guests at her wedding by serving them hundreds of dollars worth of McDonald's.

Back in July, the fast food restaurant chain sparked a wave of jokes and memes on social media after unveiling plans for a new wedding package promotion.

However, guests at Stephanie Arielle's nuptials in Quebec, Canada, were "lovin' it" when the bride and groom presented them with a table of McDonald's burgers, fries and chicken McNuggets as part of a late night snack served at 11 p.m. next to the dance floor.

Arielle, meanwhile, was likely "lovin" the savings they made, with the couple shelling out just over $200 on the fast food feast. "We had 75 guests total and we ordered 100 chicken McNuggets, 25 junior chickens [a grilled chicken burger], 25 cheeseburgers and 50 small fries," she told Newsweek.

The McDonald's food served at a wedding.
Stephanie Arielle served McDonald's as a late night snack at her wedding. It got a huge reaction from her guests. Stephanie Arielle

With the average cost of a wedding in the U.S. estimated at around $30,000 in 2022, according to a report by the wedding planning website The Knot, it's no surprise that couples like Arielle would look at money saving options like this.

However, Arielle is happy to admit that it's more than just about saving money, with both her and her new husband known to enjoy the occasional late night trip to the Golden Arches.

"When we were looking for a late night snack, we immediately thought of McDonald's," she said. "It's our favorite guilty pleasure food and we know that everyone loves a burger or some nuggets once they've had a few drinks."

There might have been an element of nostalgia to the choice too, given Arielle's history with her new husband. "We're high school sweethearts who started dating at 14 years old," she said.

Whatever the case, the surprise McDonald's buffet was warmly received by their friends and family. "Our guests freaked out when they saw the McDonald's come out," Arielle said. "They literally flocked to the table."

They were not the only ones either, with Arielle's video explaining how it all came together watched more than 2.9 million times on TikTok.

"I don't drink but having McDonald's fries while drunk sounds incredible," one viewer wrote, with another commenting: "I'm looking to do this for my wedding in November." A third added: "Love that you prepped them so they weren't just given a huge surprise order!"

Arielle certainly did the latter. Having found and contacted a branch of McDonald's that was 10 minutes from their wedding venue, Arielle organized with the restaurant manager so that the food would arrive hot at exactly 11 on the dot.

It was personally delivered by the manager who also took the time to divide the nuggets into smaller boxes, meaning most of the food could be consumed by guests while they danced the night way.

Despite finding social media fame with their McDonald's wedding spread, Arielle is keen to note that her guests did not solely eat burgers, fries and chicken that day.

"We served a three-course catered dinner as well as a dessert bar but just wanted to serve a late night snack as well for our guests to enjoy," she said.

Arielle has been blown away by the response to her clip and has some advice for anyone thinking of doing the same. "Find a McDonald's close to your venue, go in a month before the wedding and speak to the manager to see if it's possible and come up with a plan together," she said.

Has a wedding come between your relationship with a loved one? Let us know via life@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice, and your story could be featured on Newsweek.

Uncommon Knowledge

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

About the writer


Jack Beresford is a Newsweek Senior Internet Culture & Trends Reporter, based in London, UK. His focus is reporting on ... Read more

To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.

Newsweek cover
  • Newsweek magazine delivered to your door
  • Newsweek Voices: Diverse audio opinions
  • Enjoy ad-free browsing on Newsweek.com
  • Comment on articles
  • Newsweek app updates on-the-go
Newsweek cover
  • Newsweek Voices: Diverse audio opinions
  • Enjoy ad-free browsing on Newsweek.com
  • Comment on articles
  • Newsweek app updates on-the-go