This bride chose an unconventional approach to saving money on her wedding, and the internet is divided.
A Very Different Catering Choice
Madison Mulkey, known as @brideisapersonality on TikTok, shared a video outlining how she achieved significant savings by catering her Savannah, Georgia, wedding reception with takeout from Chili’s.
The video has amassed over 1.9 million views, captivating viewers with Mulkey’s cost-saving strategy.
“Our total cost for our wedding food was $1,950 for 99 guests,” Mulkey reveals in the video, highlighting that the order accommodated gluten- and dairy-free specialty meals and special requests like seafood preferences.
An Unbeatable Price Point
She expressed her satisfaction with the price point, emphasizing the incredible value they obtained. However, Mulkey goes on to explain that more work was involved in the process than they had initially planned.
To avoid delivery fees on St. Patrick’s Day, they had to pick up the food at 11 a.m. for a 6 p.m. reception. Mulkey’s aunt, who works in food service, was enlisted to transport and set up the food, leaving detailed instructions for cooking to ensure food safety.
Mulkey acknowledges the additional responsibilities placed on their hired servers, who were initially hired for cleaning and serving, but ended up doing a significant amount of cooking. Mulkey’s coordinator also had to step in and guide the servers through the process.
A Unique Experience
Despite these challenges, Mulkey concludes the video by noting that their situation was unique and mentions that she and her guests were delighted with the food, listing items such as chicken tender sliders, egg rolls, chips and salsa, Cajun chicken pasta, and salad from the Chili’s menu.
Chili’s commented on the post, saying, “Iconic.”
“I would be so hype to find out the wedding food was chili’s,” another user exclaimed.
While some viewers supported Mulkey’s approach and criticized the high costs associated with traditional wedding catering, others raised concerns about its strain on the staff.
Where the Support Staff Appropriately Compensated?
Some comments highlighted the potential stress and lack of tips for the staff involved in handling the additional tasks.
“All I can think about is how stressful this must have been for the staff,” one woman said.
“Lmao welcome to the wedding here’s your food, go wait in the microwave line,” someone hilariously jabbed.
We Generously Tipped Everyone!
In response to these concerns, Mulkey uploaded a follow-up video to clarify the situation. She stated, “We tipped everyone,” mentioning a $300 tip for the Chili’s kitchen staff, a $100 tip for the Chili’s manager who facilitated the process, and compensation in the form of a “hefty” hourly fee for the coordinator and servers.
The debate surrounding Mulkey’s choice reflects divergent viewpoints on wedding expenses, alternative catering options, and fair treatment and compensation for service staff.
What do you think? Would you have Chillis cater for your wedding?
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The post They Chose Chili’s Takeout for Their Wedding Catering and Saved a Fortune. It Was Only $1,950 for 99 Guests! first appeared on Career Step Up.
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Krakenimages.com. The people shown in the images are for illustrative purposes only, not the actual people featured in the story.
Source: TikTok