Weddings are an important milestone for many couples, which explains why some are willing to spend a pretty penny on a lavish ceremony.
As it turns out, there are those who are willing to splurge on a wedding for their furkids too.
A recent viral TikTok video shows two Alaskan Malamutes tying the knot in a ceremony at a mall in Indonesia.
The extravagant event reportedly cost the canines’ owners up to 200 million rupiah (S$17,700).
TikTok user @neverendingchillife shared footage of the ceremony, which has since garnered over 4.2 million views.
The video starts by showing a procession of people decked out in elegant traditional wear as they escort the dogs in.
Both of the dogs are dressed to the nines as well, peering around curiously as they are led to the altar in what Kompas reported was Central Market, a mall in Jakarta.
Source: TikTok
The camera then pans around to show the guests snapping pictures of the happy canine couple.
In a subsequent image, the pups wait patiently with their owners as the wedding continues.
Source: TikTok
According to CNBC Indonesia, owners Valentina Chandra and Indira Ratnasari married the two dogs, Jojo and Luna, in a wedding ceremony using Javanese traditions.
Source: @ballooney.id on Instagram
Ms Indira, who is also a member of the Indonesian president’s Special Staff team, shared that the ceremony cost as much as 200 million rupiah (S$17,700).
Speaking to Kompas, Ms Valentina said they had initially only planned to celebrate the canines’ birthdays.
The duo then came across wedding planners and decided to make the ceremony a reality, hosting it last Friday (14 July), with the dogs’ ‘engagement’ back in May.
In addition, it was a joint event celebrating the Malamutes’ birthdays.
The pair had even exceeded their budget — which was originally 100 million rupiah (S$8,800) — while planning for the wedding.
This was due to the numerous Javanese customs the pair had incorporated into the ceremony, being Javanese themselves.
For instance, the dogs had donned traditional clothing that came from the Javanese archipelago.
Source: @elise_santoso on Instagram
Ms Valentina shared that the reason for this was due to a desire to preserve their culture.
All of the invited guests and their dogs also had to wear clothes with batik elements. Ultimately, about 100 people were in attendance, including mall security.
In addition, the owners hired caterers, a live band, as well as costume and make-up artists. They also purchased wedding cakes for the ceremony.
Unfortunately, the internet did not take too kindly to the unconventional nuptials, with many pointing out that such an extravagant display was a waste of money and insensitive in a nation with such wealth inequality.
BBC News Indonesia reported that the backlash got so intense that the owners issued an apology on Wednesday (19 July).
“We are very sorry and apologise to all enthusiasts of Javanese culture and the Indonesian people who were upset and hurt by this event,” said Ms Indira.
The Straits Times (ST) noted that the minimum monthly wage in Jakarta is 4.9 million rupiah (S$430) — a tiny fraction of the dogs’ estimated wedding cost.
Last year, the World Bank stated that almost one-tenth of the Indonesian population lives below the poverty line.
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Featured image adapted from @LadiestoryID on Twitter and @elise_santoso on Instagram.
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