A California couple celebrates their wedding at 'the coolest Taco Bell in the world' as the fast-food wedding trend grows
- A California couple celebrated their wedding reception at Taco Bell's Cantina Pacifica location this week.
- The high school sweethearts were inspired after seeing TikToks about weddings held at Taco Bell Cantina Las Vegas.
Nothing quite says "Just Married" like a Taco Bell Crunchwrap Supreme.
That's especially true for high school sweethearts, Analicia Garcia and Kyle Howser. After sealing the deal at San Francisco City Hall on Tuesday, the newlyweds hosted their wedding reception at Taco Bell Cantina in Pacifica, California - a location often hailed as "the nicest Taco Bell in the world" thanks to its breathtaking seaside views.
The lovers join a growing number of couples opting to celebrate their nuptials at fast-food joints like Taco Bell. The company told Insider in June it has married nearly 500 couples at its Las Vegas Cantina location - which boasts its own chapel and a $600 wedding package featuring a half-hour ceremony, officiant, custom merchandise, and food and drinks - since it first began offering the service in 2018.
And Taco Bell isn't the only fast-food chain attracting couples tying the knot. Brands ranging from White Castle to Olive Garden have started offering everything from wedding giveaways to catering. This week alone, a couple released wedding photos taken at a Subway restaurant in Michigan where the two met.
Garcia told Insider she first got the idea after stumbling across a TikTok video about weddings at Cantina Las Vegas. She then contacted James Aman, a district manager for several Taco Bell locations in the Bay Area, who helped with planning.
"The reception was served buffet style," she told Insider. "The staff was amazing and constantly brought out fresh items. Of course, since it is a Cantina, we also had the spiked Freezes as well as beer and wine for the guests."
Wedding photographer Emily Jenks captured the festive event, which included decor like bouquets made from hot sauce packets, Taco Bell-branded wine bottles, a wedding cake lined with Cinnabon Delights.
"It was such a fun reception," Jenks wrote in a message to Insider. "Unlimited Taco Bell - I was like, is this a dream?"
While Garcia and Howser did not, in fact, first lock eyes over Quesaritos, the couple told the San Francisco Chronicle the restaurant has been a staple of their relationship.
"I remember we used to drive to Taco Bell and go on long drives and just chitchat when we were younger," Garcia told the Chronicle.
Added Howser: "The $5 box was too good of a deal for a college budget. It kind of became a date for us."
Though Taco Bell has more than 7,000 locations globally, Pacifica Cantina regularly ranks among its top destinations around the world.
A beloved favorite among community members and tourists alike, the Pacifica location first opened in the 1980s and was transformed into a Cantina in 2019. In addition to typically being larger and more upscale, Taco Bell's Cantina models sell alcoholic beverages including wine, beer, and its signature Twisted Freeze drink.
The California restaurant has continued to gain popularity in the past year, thanks to a number of viral TikToks sharing a glimpse inside. A post from travel influencer Megan Homme shared last November has more than 2.5 million views.
"The views are incredible, the tacos are amazing, you can literally just sit here and watch the surfers," Homme said in the video. "Ten out of ten."