A couple who had to cancel their wedding due to the coronavirus pandemic finally tied the knot - with a McDonald's meal of a lifetime to celebrate.
Melissa Russell, 27, and Shannon McKenna, 26, had been engaged for six years but had no plans to tie the knot until the coronavirus pandemic made them realise they wanted to get hitched.
They planned to have a marquee in their garden, but restrictions meant that would be difficult, and when they booked a hotel it was cancelled a week later.
McDonald's worker Melissa spoke to her boss, Kate Walker, about the difficulties they were facing, and was astonished when she pulled out all the stops to give them a dream wedding reception in the fast food restaurant in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire.
After being married by a humanist celebrant in Chatelherault Country House, in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, they went to Melissa's workplace where her colleagues pulled out the stops to give the 18 guests the best McDonald's meal they had ever had.
Guests had a three course meal with the option of Mozzarella Dippers or Chicken Selects for starters, anything off the menu for a main course, and ice cream sundaes served in crystal glasses, or apple pie and ice cream.
The food was beautifully plated and the brides said it was the best party they could have imagined.
Melissa, who wore a white Grecian-style wedding gown, said: "It was an absolutely fabulous day.
"Kate is such a lovely, helpful person and she went above and beyond, she did so many things we didn't expect, she got the tables decorated.
"We had a three course meal with cutlery, there was a choice of starters which were served on a bed of salad.
"I think the guests were more excited about having a sit-down meal at McDonald's.
"My colleagues treated me like a princess, they waited on us hand and foot
"It was the best McDonald's I have ever had."
Her father, Charlie Russell, 55, is ill which prompted Melissa and Shannon to think about getting the wedding organised.
Charlie was able to walk Melissa down the aisle, to give her away to Shannon, who was wearing a floor length black dress decorated with feathers.
The brides were miffed they could not have a proper first dance, but still had an informal one anyway.
They posed for pictures sharing a chip in the fast food restaurant where Melissa has worked for six years, and were delighted with how things worked out.
Shannon, who works as a dog groomer, said: "It was so out there and different, I really did appreciate everything about it."
The couple made many of the decorations at home, but were thrilled by how they looked on the big day.
And Kate had organised a piper to entertain guests as they walked from their cars to the fast food restaurant.
The newlyweds then spent a night in Loch Lomond, Argyll and Bute, for a brief honeymoon, before returning home.
Melissa, now Mrs McKenna, added: "It was a day we will never forget.
"It took for us to get through a pandemic to think 'what are we waiting for?'
"We wanted to make sure my dad could be there to walk me down the aisle."
