Remember the not-so-old McDonald’s television commercial about a nerdy boy and a hyperactive girl? In the advertisement, the two never really went beyond friendship despite their French fries-dipped-in-sundae-sparked attraction to each other.

But unlike the mismatched kids from the commercial, food fanatics and couple (for seven years) Roger Francis Alcantara and Noemi Katrina dela Paz were able to walk all the way to the altar yesterday afternoon at Mary Immaculate Parish in Moonwalk Village, Las Piñas City.

With “I do’s” already exchanged, the newly-married couple treated their guests to the brand of fast food that they both love. Yes, the wedding reception – or “recess,” as the couple likes to call it – took place at a McDonald’s branch along Alabang-Zapote road.

It was a wedding party that was like a children’s party -- and perhaps the first-ever wedding reception in a McDonald’s outlet -- with an even more playful twist.

The chocolate wedding cake was fashioned to look like a Big Mac, McDonald’s flagship double-layered burger; instead of Roger and Noemi, two McDonald’s mascots were made to do the traditional Filipino Catholic wedding “money dance” while the 120 or so guests who filled the particular branch took home popular “Happy Meal” toys.

And to symbolize their union in a way utterly unique and special to them, the couple ditched the cake-tasting ceremony in favor of taking simultaneous bites out of a Big Mac.

“It was the best bite out of a Big Mac that I’ve ever had in my entire life,” said the groom. You’d better believe him; he’s had countless Big Macs in his burger-munching career.

Like the two children in the McDonald’s commercial, Roger, 30 and Noemi, 28, seemed to be worlds apart at first. He is from Las Piñas. She is from Quezon City. He plays bass for a local band. She’s a pharmacist. He’s from La Salle. She’s from UP Manila. He has a Mohawk. She wears prescription glasses.

But their common fondness for Ronald McDonald and his crew made sure there was a strong connection between them. So strong, in fact, that they decided to meet at a McDonald’s branch on Taft Avenue in Manila right after they were introduced to each other by common friends.

“It was to be only our second meeting. Ang aga namin nagligawan (The courting began early),” Noemi recounted with a chuckle.

When Noemi arrived at the branch only to discover it closed down (they later found out that it was only under renovation), she was shocked and worried sick. It was 2002, and cellular phones back then weren’t as common. What if Roger had been there first, and had left upon seeing the shut-down McDonald’s?

“Thankfully, when I turned my back, I saw him. We were wearing the same color of clothes,” Noemi said. The color was moss green.

They can virtually order food for each, without any trouble or argument. “Chicken nuggets, rice, pineapple juice and barbecue dipping sauce for her,” Roger said with certainty. “Big Mac and fries for him. The drink depends on his mood,” countered Noemi.

And then the time came when the couple decided to officially ask for blessing from the “big guy upstairs.” Roger proposed to Noemi in public, onstage during the band Eternal Now’s album launch on June 12, 2009, at Bonifacio High Street, Taguig City. “I did it on Independence Day because I’m giving up my independence for her,” he said.

It was also that time when they decided to make their wedding more memorable for themselves along with their relatives and friends by personalizing the proceedings as much as they could. Their grade school-themed wedding invitation, which is nine pages of colored paper fastened on a pink folder, was enough to bowl people over.

Imagine what people thought when they found out that the reception was to be at a fast food.

“My advice to other couples who want to tie the knot is to personalize their nuptial, if they can,” said Roger. “Why become like a million others, if you can become one in a million?”

To most people, two golden arches side-by-side is “M” for McDonald’s. For Roger and Noemi, it’s Marriage.

“Dahil love ko siya.”