An unplanned pit stop inspires a treasured tradition

Late one stormy Halloween night in Baytown, Texas, newlyweds Vanessa and Harold Cubides found themselves stranded in a parking lot, unable to start the engine in Harold’s classic El Camino. 

It may seem like the first scene from a scary movie—but it was actually the beginning of a wonderful, wedding-night trip to Whataburger and a beautiful tradition. 

A place to weather the storm together

Young, in love, and on a budget, Vanessa and Harold decided to get married on Halloween in 2015, thinking it’d feel like the whole world was celebrating their wedding along with them.

They weren’t going to let some rain get in their way, even though it was coming down so hard that they were late for their ceremony. They got married in costume—Harold as a pirate from his favorite manga series, and Vanessa as a mad scientist—and decided to celebrate that night in true Halloween fashion. 

“We decided to cap off our spooky-perfect wedding day with a movie,” Vanessa explained. 

But after the credits rolled and they went to leave, Harold’s car wouldn’t start. That’s when they looked up and saw the Whataburger sign glowing, a beacon across the dark parking lot. 

“Our light at the end of the tunnel was orange,” Harold said. 

They ran through the rain on their wedding day and settled soaking-wet into a booth, where they shared stories, dreams about their life together, and a Triple Meat Whataburger with Cheese. 

“Everybody was just so welcoming and in a good mood,” Vanessa said. “We just kind of forgot about the storm and everything else, and just enjoyed each other's company and some good food.” 

“The energy, the vibe was so good, it felt like a safe haven,” Harold said. “We got to share a nice, warm meal and a place to sit down and say, I love you through it all, through sickness and health, through bad weather and good weather.” 

They cherish the memory so much that they’ve gone to Whataburger on their anniversary to celebrate every year since. Now, 10 years later, they get to share that joy with their daughter Esmeralda and look forward to telling her how the tradition started as she gets older. 

“To have our own little family, our own traditions, and that unique story is really wonderful,” Vanessa said.