Out actor Kal Penn helps couple tie the knot in Taco Bell metaverse wedding
(Taco) Bells are ringing as the lucky couple who will be tying the knot at Taco Bell’s metaverse wedding is unveiled! Lifelong Taco Bell fans Sheel Mohnot and Amruta Godbole will say ‘I do’ on February 24 with an out-of-this-realm wedding celebration in Decentraland. While we’re just slightly disappointed that it’s not a gay Bar couple sharing the love of tacos on their big day, it’s still cool to see out and beary handsome actor Kal Penn being chosen as the Master of Ceremony.
Kal Penn, best known for his roles in the Harold and Kumar film series and the hit TV drama House, made headlines when he came out in 2021 during an interview with People Magazine. In the interview, he states that he discovered his sexuality “relatively late in life” while discussing his new memoir You Can’t Be Serious.
Winning out over 300 couples who applied to win the Taco Bell metaverse wedding of their dreams, Sheel, a co-founder of Better Tomorrow Ventures, a venture capital firm and Amruta, a lawyer at Instagram, embody what it means to love and live más. No strangers to the joys of virtual partnership, the Bay-area based couple’s story started after a mutual friend connected the pair and they shared an hours-long phone call where they learned about each other’s lives and upbringings – both of which included a passion for Taco Bell. The pair share an Indian heritage as well as a vegetarian lifestyle, making the eatery’s vegetarian* options tried-and-true staples in their everyday lives. It was only fitting that one of their first IRL dates took place over a romantic beach-front meal at Taco Bell’s Pacifica location, which has been named the “world’s most beautiful Taco Bell.” During a trip to Mexico, the lovestruck couple were engaged over a meal of tacos, and the rest is soon to make Taco Bell and metaverse history.
Toast From The Couple
“When we heard about the contest, we knew it was the perfect opportunity for us. Now that we’re getting closer to the wedding day, we’re excited to see the vision come to life,” said bride-to-be Amruta Godbole. “We’re really looking forward to sharing the experience with our friends and family from all over the globe – many of whom may not have been able to attend in-person. Some of them still don’t totally understand the idea of a metaverse wedding, but once they knock back a couple of virtual bottles of Baja Blasts, I think they’ll get in the spirit.”
And for groom-to-be, Sheel Mohnot, Taco Bell holds many memories dating all the way back to his childhood, so the wedding is truly a full-circle moment: “Growing up, Taco Bell was one of the only places we’d eat out and going there was a special occasion. Now, while eating out isn’t a luxury in the same way – I somehow still find myself coming back to my familiar Taco Bell favorites. We are excited to be a part of the Taco Bell family, as well as experience things we’d never get to do in an IRL wedding – like ride an elephant to the venue!”
Metaverse Wedding Makes History
Sheel and Amruta worked closely with both Taco Bell and their partners to plan an other-worldly event in Decentraland – a 3D browser-based platform allowing shared virtual exploration. The wedding pushes past previous platform limitations with never before seen elements that Decentraland users will be able to view even after the wedding for a limited time. The groom’s avatar will ride into the venue on an elephant in a customary baraat procession, paying homage to the duo’s Indian roots. Additionally, after saying “I do,” the couple will unveil a kissing emote in the metaverse, specifically designed for the occasion. Of course, it wouldn’t be a Taco Bell wedding without food! Guests will also bear witness to the largest virtual Cinnabon Delights® cake that the brand has ever created.
Innovative Wedding Ceremony Details
Planning a wedding in the metaverse allowed for the maximum level of creativity and customization to authentically tailor the event to the couple. This includes a notable Master of Ceremonies who will facilitate the wedding. For this memorable occasion, it will be none other than Kal Penn, an American actor who shares the couple’s Indian heritage and is thrilled to play a vital role in Sheel and Amruta’s matrimonial journey.
Additional customized wedding details include personalized wearables, or avatar outfits, for the couple and their invited guests. Adding to the list of cultural celebrations, the couple will be married under a mandap which forms the sacred space where the couple will say their vows. Under the mandap will be a custom agni, a sacred fire involved in some Indian wedding rituals, designed to look like a hot sauce packet set to flame – merging the best of the couple’s culture and Taco Bell’s signature flare.
FIRE! Details
In true digital-forward fashion, once the ceremony has concluded, the reception space will open for the couple, their invited guests and public attendees to kick off the party. After enjoying their first dance as a married couple, Amruta will throw a hot sauce bouquet which will turn into an interactive Bouquet Toss Game, with bragging rights as the reward. Both the public who attend the Decentraland wedding and those who visit the venue after the celebration can participate in this fun competition. Additional activities include showing off their moves on the Taco Bell dance floor alongside the Sauce Packet Dancers, snapping some pictures in a photo booth and hitting up the Mtn Dew® Baja Blast® Station. For those looking to enjoy Taco Bell IRL, guests at the public reception will be able to visit the reception’s food table and scan a QR code that links to an offer** and a menu curated by the couple featuring their favorite vegetarian dishes for consumers to purchase.
How to Participate
On the big day, 100 of the couple’s invited guests will be able to enjoy the wedding ceremony first-hand through the eyes of their avatars, where they’ll even have the chance to meet the Master of Ceremonies, Kal Penn.
The public will be able to watch the live wedding on screens set up in secondary realms within Decentraland – visit TacoBell.com/metaverse-wedding to learn more and access the public wedding space on the day of the wedding. After the private baraat procession, the ceremony space will open up in Decentraland’s secondary realms where the public can explore the venue, socialize and watch a slideshow about the couple via their avatars. Following the private nuptials on the screens, the reception space will open up for a virtual celebration of a lifetime.
For those who are not able to attend the ceremony in avatar form, popular Twitch streamer and Taco Bell superfan Jordan Payton will be livestreaming his POV of the event so viewers can follow along on their screens. Once the private ceremony is over, the public ceremony space will provide a gateway into the public reception that will be open for fans to enter and kick off the festivities.
A Registry for the Couple and for Fans
Leading up to the wedding day, there will be an open wedding registry on the Taco Bell Discord channel on February 22 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. PST. Fans can claim drops inspired by the couple’s favorite Taco Bell items in the discord channel for digital gift cards and Taco Bell will gift the couple with some items from their curated menu selections too. The registry will function on a traditional first-come, first-serve basis so once the gift has been claimed, the item will no longer be up to gift, so act fast!***
A Private Reception for the Couple
As an extra special wedding present for the bride and groom, Taco Bell will be throwing the newlyweds a private reception at the Pacifica Cantina in the near-future to close the loop on their journey to marriage in one of the places where it all began. Then, the couple plans to take off to New Zealand later in the year for the honeymoon of their dreams.
Taco Bell’s metaverse wedding is brought to life in collaboration with creative agencies Deutsch LA, The Electric Factory and livestream production company Mobeon. For more information about how to participate in the out-of-this-realm wedding, please visit TacoBell.com/metaverse-wedding.
Follow along on the couple’s journey to the mandap through their social channels: Sheel – Instagram and Twitter, Amruta – Instagram and Twitter.
