It’s common for Filipino children celebrate their birthdays at Jollibee, undoubtedly the Philippines’ most iconic fast-food chain. But one couple recently showed that the restaurant is also a fun place to celebrate another one of life’s biggest milestones: a wedding.
Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) Janine Minas and Marious Pabalinas were married at a Jollibee store in their hometown of Olongapo City almost two weeks ago. The unique idea was spurred by the couple’s need to keep costs down while ensuring that their guests would also have fun on their special day.
The Thailand-based Minas posted photos from their big day and wrote that their friends didn’t believe at first that they were getting married in Jollibee.
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“Because they know we love playing around and they thought we were joking until we sent our invitations out and they saw the venue. Haha. Everyone kept asking ‘Why in Jollibee?’ ‘Are you serious?’ ‘Is this for real?’ Haha. We chose Jollibee because it’s practical, the food is great, and of course, IT IS JOLLIBEE! Who doesn’t like Jollibee?,” Minas said on her post, which has gone viral and has been shared almost 11,000 times.
In a Facebook interview with Coconuts Manila, the 26-year-old Minas said they thought of getting married in Jollibee because it was affordable.
“We are OFWs, and OFWs know that it’s not that easy to work abroad. So we didn’t want to spend all of our savings on a one-day event. For us, it was more important to just get married so that God will bless our relationship. And Jollibee symbolizes us [as a couple]. It’s a happy place with good vibes. And also since we enjoy eating, we wanted the food at our wedding to be delicious and worth it,” she explained in English and Filipino.
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Minas added that living in a place like Thailand, which doesn’t have Jollibee (yet!), was another factor in their decision.
“We don’t have a Jollibee [in Thailand] so we thought of doing it at a Jollibee because we really miss the food. Haha!”
She said their friends and family were initially shocked that they chose to have their wedding in a fast-food restaurant.
“They all thought it was a joke at first because we love playing pranks on our loved ones. So they were shocked and they couldn’t understand why [we wanted to get married there]. But in the end, they understood because they knew that my husband and I are just unique,” Minas said.
Congratulations to the happy couple! Here’s to many years of enjoying Jollibee together.
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