Bride surprises groom with one of his favorites: Waffle House. See the unique reception
A Tennessee bride surprised her groom with a wedding reception at his favorite restaurant: Waffle House.
The couple clinked coffee mugs and shared a dance on the restaurant floor as they celebrated their special night, according to pictures Jessica Hamblen, owner of Life Through a Lens, shared with McClatchy News.
“I’ve taken pictures all around, but a wedding reception at the Waffle House was an absolute first,” the business wrote on Facebook as it shared pictures of the newly married pair, Eli and Mary Cate Holbrook.
Waffle House is a Southern staple known for serving breakfast foods 24 hours a day. But for a few hours on Oct. 29, the doors closed to the public at one of the chain’s locations in Lebanon, roughly 30 miles east of Nashville.
When the groom discovered where he and his bride were having the reception, he was in disbelief. Waffle House is his favorite place to eat, and he grew up going to the Lebanon location with his dad, according to Mary Cate Holbrook.
“He joined the Marine Corps and every time he would come home, his family would always make sure that his welcome home dinner was at Waffle House,” the bride told McClatchy News in a phone interview.
Now Eli Holbrook has new memories at the restaurant. At their wedding reception, he and his bride wore Waffle House hats and Mr. and Mrs. name tags. Though the restaurant served heart-shaped hash browns and other menu staples, the couple also had a more traditional wedding cake, photos show.
Mary Cate Holbrook said the two originally considered having a pot luck for their family-focused reception but had joked about having Waffle House cater the event. Then one day, the bride had her mom look into whether the restaurant could host it.
“All the attention goes onto the bride and the groom just kind of fades into the background — he’s not really thought of too much,” the newlywed said. ”I just wanted something a little more special for my groom.”
It’s not the first time a pair has celebrated their love in a unique place.
Last year, another Tennessee couple shared engagement photos they took outside an Olive Garden restaurant. And in 2020, a North Carolina woman had a bridal photo shoot at a Krispy Kreme doughnut shop, McClatchy News reported.
This story was originally published November 2, 2023 at 10:56 AM with the headline "Bride surprises groom with one of his favorites: Waffle House. See the unique reception."
