When Burger met King: Fast-food chain sponsors couple's wedding after realizing their names were a perfect match

Every wedding is special, but Joel Burger and Ashley King's wedding is a story of a lifetime. Their names, 'Burger' and 'King,' made Burger King, the food franchise, pay for their Big Day, and it's truly magical. The Illinois couple met in kindergarten and, ever since, had been inseparable, TODAY reported. In 2015, Burger King decided to get married, and their engagement news went viral, reaching the fast-food company. Burger King took to social media, trying to reach out to the couple who are the literal representatives of the brand. They announced, "We have something special for you," and the rest, as they say, is history. 

"When we heard about the happy Burger King couple, we felt an overwhelming urge to celebrate their upcoming marriage," Eric Hirschhorn, spokesperson for Burger King, shared. As promised, the company paid for the event, providing all the quirky elements, defining the very meaning of their reunion. All groomsmen wore the brand's shirts underneath their suits with signature Burger King crowns, customized brand cufflinks, and hamburger socks.

Besides, the bridesmaids accentuated their looks, wearing sky-blue gowns and franchise crowns. Moreover, Burger King supplied custom mason jars for the reception and $10 gift cards for all wedding guests. After marriage, King took her husband's name and now identifies as Ashley Burger. Despite the name change, the couple, who had been dating since college, proudly call their pair "Burger King."

"We’re honored that Joel and Ashley have made the Burger King brand a part of their relationship from the start, and we want to help make sure their wedding is a unique and memorable experience. All we ask in return is that they live happily ever after," Hirschhorn added. It's been 10 years since their epic wedding, but their story is as fresh in the hearts of people as it was a decade ago. 

Meanwhile, reacting to the Burger King couple's story (shared by u/nastynice1 on Reddit), u/locodrathecrow commented, "Those weddings are expensive as hell, and if all it takes for them to pay is wearing Burger King crowns in some pictures and letting them have their logo on the glasses, I'm down. Let's go somewhere fancy for our honeymoon, or get a nice car right away with the money saved."

Similarly, u/inallthingsbalance on the platform wrote, "As expensive as weddings are, I would have been happy to accept some corporate sponsorship." On a lighter note, u/readrightred99 joked, "It would be tough being their future daughter.' I told you that you’re not to spend time with that McDonald boy! You will not marry one of 'those people'! But Daddy, I LOVE HIM! Oh dear God! His kind isn’t like us. (Mom bursts into tears).'" 

Echoing the sentiments, u/apenasandre wrote, "My friends who are getting married soon created a WhatsApp group to interact with their wedding guests. I sent them this beautiful love story to encourage them to do the same and maybe have the same luck as the 'Burger King' couple, but the idea wasn’t very well received. Their last names are Ashley and Madson." u/_graciecakes shared, "When my Nana (maiden name Needy) and Papa (King) got married, their wedding was in the newspaper as 'Needy marries King.' It was a big deal in the middle of nowhere, Illinois, in the early 70s."