Meanwhile, Down At The Golden Arches ...

"McWeddings were devised in line with local customs," Managing Director Shirley Chang told reporters at a branch of McDonalds in Hong Kong, "particularly Chinese numerology. On arrival, our employees greet each guest with a Big Mac and fries, and there is an apple pie wedding cake, with a single fry on top instead of the traditional cherry. After the ceremony, each guest receives a Happy Meal toy as a gift, while the bride and groom are given a photo frame shaped like Ronald McDonald, marked Limited Edition Number 138, an auspicious figure."

"No alcohol is served at McDonalds, so instead the guests toast the couple with milk shakes and sundaes. You can have a lot of fun with a soft drink and a balloon."

Three Hong Kong branches of McDonalds introduced cut-price McWeddings in January, and the public response has been enthusiastic. "A typical Chinese wedding costs about £20,000," anthropologist Gordon Matthews explained, "And it can take the groom's family many years to save such a sum. By contrast, a McWedding starts at £800 including invitation cards, food, drink, gifts and wedding photos for fifty guests."

"In the US and Europe, middle-class people look down on McDonalds, but Hong Kong is different. A McDonalds wedding isn't seen as tacky here. The chief concern here is being able to book your McWedding on the most auspicious date on the lunar calendar."

From the New York Times, 27 February 2011.