The Hard Mtn Dew Wedding Happened and It Appeared As Painful As Promised
I’ll be the first to say how excited I was when HARD MTN DEW introduced this wild concept of a wedding with complete strangers, booze and cake provided, and themed attire included for the guests of honor. It sounded just outrageous enough for some cute, offbeat couple to have a wacky night that would last a lifetime.
Then I saw the pictures, and it did not seem to live up to expectations. The lucky(?)—bride and groom, Alina Ibarra and Nicholas Enriquez, were smiling, so there’s hope for them yet. The ceremony took place on Wednesday, November 15, 2023 in Knoxville, TN, home of Mountain Dew.
After sifting through the wedding album, most guests have their Instagram profiles set to private including the Mr. and Mrs. There’s a chance the brand asked guests not to post until they gave the signal, but if that’s the case, it’s been almost a week so the payoff window for the audience has closed.
Aside from a tacky backdrop and miscolored cake, the ceremony didn’t have that festive feel. Sure, it’s a gimmick-y concept and everyone who was part of it (bride and groom, guests, officiant, decorators, event coordinators, bakers, florists, DJs, photographers, attire designers, hair/makeup stylists, staff, venue crew, marketing department, miscellaneous vendors, etc.) knew it would be hokey fun, but none of them had included it in their online portfolios as of press time.
The only reason you would avoid that branding opportunity is if it was a flop. We were able to track down a wedding planner called Heels and Veils who posted some evidence, but even the tagged vendors have nothing online that links them to the nuptials.
Maybe it was the aluminum tab wedding rings or the ultra-long veil with a casual, knee-length dress that cheapened the event. Or perhaps it was the “cantennae” headpieces and plastic sunglasses gifted to celebrants that made it seem like it was thrown together the previous day after a quick trip to Party City.
Despite the lackluster execution, I wish these newlyweds the best. Hopefully they’ll have a reunion party with some newfound besties they met on their big day. As for HARD MTN DEW, better luck with the next PR stunt. Perhaps a gender reveal party?
