Insert Coin, press ‘Start,’ say ‘I do!’

Originally published on The JOLT News on July 16, 2026

I recently reached out to the team at Insert Coin in Olympia to learn about their trivia nights and other upcoming events. They came back with the most legendary story and invitation. 

Two of their employees (Cameron Holmes and Bernadette Allen) were about to get married. Not just anywhere, but at their arcade.

Insert Coin and the love birds decided to invite the public to celebrate with them with a wedding movie-themed trivia night, free candy, drink specials, and of course arcade games! 

How could I possibly say no to this?

We are so fortunate to live in an area with a surplus of fun, unique, and meaningful events. One such event is coming up on Saturday, July 18, at Rebecca Howard Park. Click here to read my sneak peek of “Read the Park!” 

I brought my sister Faith Benton and our mom Dee Benton with me! Before I tell you about our  experience at the Insert Coin, let’s raise a toast to the happy couple!  

My toast 

Before the event, I had the opportunity to learn about Holmes and Allen’s story. Gaming played a role from the start, as these two met for the first time in elementary school and played lots of Foursquare together.  

Holmes and Allen lost touch for a bit in high school, but the game of life brought them back together again, as they started messaging each other online. In 2016, Holmes asked Allen out and they have been together ever since!   

“We decided to have our wedding at Insert Coin because we wanted a fun place to have a good time with our family and friends,” Allen shared. “Also, I really really wanted to be able to throw an ax in my wedding dress!” 

JOLT readers, I invite you to join me in raising a glass to the newlyweds! As Holmes and Allen “Frogger” their way through life, may they dance-dance through every revolution, hit every target with their axes, and whack any moles that stand in their way. May their life together be richer than any treasures our “Monopoly” world could offer. Cheers to our new Mr. and Mrs. Pac-Man!  

Our experience 

We started our adventure by playing games in the arcade. The arcade is bright, colorful, and is filled with a variety of games from multiple generations — it was nice to see there was something for everyone.

The games that spoke to my inner “Chuck E. Cheese” kid were the whack-a-clown, skee ball, and basketball (really all the games where I got to throw something because I have weirdly great aim). 

My mom and sister’s favorite games were the “ICEE Slush Rush,” “Hot Wheels” game, and Insert Coin’s version of “Dance Dance Revolution,” which is both harder and more fun than it might initially appear.  

Being in the arcade together felt very freeing because we were able to go back and forth between being together, competing against each other, and enjoying individual play while still feeling like we were enjoying family time.  

We united forces when it came time to play the wedding movie-themed trivia. Anyone who knows my family will understand that our second language is movie quotes. Each of us have impressive movie databases in our minds. It was really fun putting our collective knowledge to the test.

In honor of the Goofy movie-themed T-shirt I was wearing, we decided to name our team “Powerline,” which proved to be prophetic as we got second place.  

Reflecting on our time together, Faith shared, “Stepping into Insert Coin was like stepping back into my childhood.”

She continued, “The immediate hunger to earn as many tickets as humanly possible and bright, shiny lights beckoning you to play your heart out.” 

Dee added, “Games may not be my strength, but I have a weakness for play, competition and shiny things! They had a perfect balance for all ages!” 

The three of us know each other better than anyone else, and it was fun to see each of our strengths and weaknesses come out in surprising ways through playing these games that tested various skill sets.  

Being at Insert Coin felt like being in a modern version of the “Twilight Zone” episode, “Kick the Can.” The arcade invited us to step away from our typical adult responsibilities and allow ourselves to transform into our younger selves again. It was pure delight!  

Fun is not very expensive at Insert Coin, as game cards in nature allow you to “pay what you can.” I encourage you, instead of spending $10+ at Starbucks this week, go to Insert Coin.

I promise you, your time there will leave you feeling energized, joyful, and will give you memories you will treasure more than any prizes you could ever win at any typical arcade.  

https://www.thejoltnews.com/stories/insert-coin-press-start-say-i-do,30093