Couple engaged at KFC in viral video get dream wedding
Muncie, US - August 3, 2016: Kentucky Fried Chicken Retail Fast Food Location. Location. KFC is a subsidiary of Yum! Brands II
A South African couple, known as the "KFC couple" after their proposal video went viral in November, just had their dream wedding, courtesy of the fried-chicken chain.
KFC and other brands offered to help fund the Dec. 31 wedding after a video of Hector Mkansi, 37, proposing to Nonhlanhla Soldaat, 28, at one of its restaurants went viral.
"[South Africa] gave us a chance to have the wedding of our dreams," the couple said in a statement, according to South African daily newspaper The Star. "We are grateful to everyone who pledged and the millions of South Africans who have supported us. It is because of all of you that we were able to have this celebration of love."
The wedding was held at the Thaba Eco Hotel on the Klipriviersberg Nature Reserve in Johannesburg, and Soldaat's gown was a custom-made design by Bride & Co., according to The Star.
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Uber South Africa and Audi joined in by offering to help fund transportation during their honeymoon, followed by a number of other brands that joined the effort to fund plane tickets, jewelry, home furniture and hairstyling.
The couple met at a funeral in 2010 and were previously married in 2012, but Mkansi told CNN that the traditional ceremony and rings they had then were not everything his wife had dreamed of.
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"In 2011 our families began lobola negotiations (dowry) and in 2012 we got married in a small traditional ceremony as that was all we could afford at the time. ... We had the ceremony but I knew this wasn't what my wife and I wanted," Mkansi said.
He bought Soldaat a new ring in November and proposed again in KFC, which ignited the next steps to what would become the couple's dream wedding re-do.
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"The team at the restaurant was surprised at the request but they were helpful in creating the big moment. We received our meals and when she looked inside, she found the rings and that's when I went down on my knee," he said.
"We are still in disbelief, both of us have to ask each other if this is really happening from time to time. We couldn't be more grateful to God and every single person that has shared in our little love story," he said, adding, "Our dream has come true, we never in a million years thought something like this would happen to us."