By JACQUELINE DURETT
Correspondent
SOUTH AMBOY — Kristina Rowley said she gets to tell people she was married in a castle — the White Castle on Route 9.
Kristina (nee Jones) and Michael Rowley were married May 20 on the third anniversary of their relationship at the hamburger chain. The chain holds special memories, each said. Michael, who is from South Amboy, said it was a favorite place to spend time with friends, and Kristina, who is from Woodbridge, said it was somewhere she would go with family while growing up.
The two quickly learned while they were dating that they both enjoyed going to the restaurant, and that has continued into their relationship. In fact, the night before her C-section to deliver the couple’s son eight months ago, they went to White Castle for a celebratory dinner.
“We just liked going there, so we thought, why not?” Michael said of selecting it as a wedding venue.
Michael said the idea started with his contacting White Castle just to see if the couple could serve their signature hamburgers at their reception. However, as of two months ago, they had yet to choose a location for the ceremony. Michael said they were considering going to a courthouse prior to the reception.
However, he said White Castle representatives were incredibly gracious in their interactions with him in his request to purchasing enough food to feed 100. He said he was very impressed that the management of a chain business took the time to regularly speak with him, knowing him by name and thanking him for his interest and patronage. So, he decided to take his request a little further.
“I said, ‘Hey, what are the chances of me getting married in a White Castle?’”
Michael said Kristina’s reaction to his idea was strong — he said she was more excited than he was.
“She was like all for it,” he said.
So not only would hamburgers, cheeseburgers and grilled chicken — not to mention a White Castle-themed cake — be served at the reception hall, the two would say their vows in front of 15-20 friends and family, as well as cash registers, booths and grills. The restaurant, which was remodeled a few years ago, closed its lobby area for about a half hour to hold the wedding.
Guests’ reactions, Michael said, have been a mix of enthusiastic and incredulous when they found out where the couple ultimately decided to hold their ceremony.
“They’re like, ‘Hey, that’s different,’” he said.
The couple enthusiastically said they will continue to visit White Castle as a married couple now that the restaurant will hold even more significance to them.