Burger King picking up tab for Burger-King wedding

Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today in the presence of these readers, to join Burger King and Burger-King in matrimony. Burger King Brand proposed on Monday, and Joel Burger and Ashley King accepted.

The company is paying the expenses and providing gifts for the July 17 wedding of Joel and Ashley in Jacksonville, aka the Burger-King nuptials.

Friday's column was about how Joel and Ashley have been Burger-King since they were in the fifth grade together in New Berlin. When they announced their engagement this spring, they had their picture taken next to the BK restaurant logo in Springfield. They flipped their names so that Joel's would be first in the announcement. Normally the woman's name is first. But then it wouldn't have been Burger-King, would it?

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Friday's column was pretty well-read locally. And then it went viral. The New York Daily News posted it. The Huffington Post reposted it. Soon I was hearing from BuzzFeed, the Daily Mail in the U.K. and a producer from Australia’s #1 Radio Show, which happens to be The Kyle and Jackie O Show. (But, then, you knew that.)

They all wanted to contact Joel and Ashley. The media crush is threatening to become overwhelming. It will only gain momentum now that Burger King is on board and will be promoting the Burger King, Burger-King connection nationally. I hope it stays fun for Joel and Ashley.

"Oh my God, it's going to be crazy," Ashley said. She knew over the weekend that the column had gone viral. She said, sure, they'll talk with Australia's number one radio show. I expect more will be calling.

This all began innocently enough with SJ-R business editor Tim Landis. He spotted the unique Burger-King engagement announcement and photograph in the Chatham Clarion. He put it on my desk in case I thought it could make a column. For my part, all I had to do was recognize it as one.

Since Ashley had already tried to reach out to the Burger King company, but unsuccessfully, I sent an email to the company's media relations representative. I soon heard from Alison Brod Public Relations in New York City, the company that has the Burger King account. I sent them an email about the wedding, they contacted the company, and Burger King took it from there.

Which culminated Monday afternoon when Joel and Ashley got the big news from Burger King via Skype. The connection was between New Berlin and New York City and we can't say that very often, can we? Ashley's dad, Vince King, was there to help celebrate, as was Joel's mom, Cindy Burger.

"When we heard about the happy, Burger-King couple, we felt an overwhelming urge to celebrate their upcoming marriage," said Eric Hirschhorn, Burger King Brand spokesman. "On so many levels it felt like fate; they found each other and their story found us."

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