Why did an Indiana University alumnus marry a can of Mountain Dew in Las Vegas?

Earlier this month, a crowd of guests and gawkers gathered in the small, iconic Little Vegas Chapel right in the heart of the Vegas Strip. While the fast-paced chords of AC/DC's "Thunderstruck" echoed throughout the room, Thomas Rank, decked out in a green-tinged tuxedo, began walking toward his betrothed.

Seated on a neon green pedestal, a can of Hard Mountain Dew awaited.

The entire affair was similar to an actual wedding. Cameras flashed. Rank's closest friends were among those cheering in the crowd. Gleaming silver rings (albeit with pop tabs melded to the top) were exchanged. After Rank read some personalized vows, he grabbed the can, cracked it open and took a big swig in the aptly-named "first sip," sealing the bond.

As you might have guessed, this wasn't a legally binding ceremony — or even a serious one. Rather, it was a promotional event for the Pepsi-Cola company's foray into alcoholic soda with its staggered roll-out of Hard Mountain Dew. Out of hundreds of applicants, Rank — a 2019 graduate of Indiana University Bloomington — was chosen to be flown out for a free, multi-day trip to Las Vegas to attend a faux wedding ceremony in celebration of the alcoholic malt beverage now available in Nevada.

IU alum chosen in Hard Mountain Dew contest for free trip to Las Vegas

Rank's love of Mountain Dew began in his hometown of Avon, Indiana. In his youth — before he had a full-time job and other adult responsibilities — Rank remembers playing video games like Halo and Call of Duty for hours on end. His drink of choice, a can of Mountain Dew, would always be firmly on standby.

"I grew up drinking Mountain Dew," Rank said. "The original Mountain Dew was a big part of my life, and when I saw the 21+ version of it, I just had to jump on it."

He first heard about the promotional event on the radio, where Mountain Dew fans across the country were encouraged to pen an essay of sorts about why they love the soda brand. Rank tried to have fun with his written submission, cracking jokes in the style of previous Mountain Dew marketing.

"I've always been a jokester. I love putting on pranks and stuff like that," Rank described. "So this was right up my alley."

He easily made it to the finalist round, where he and a few other contestants were interviewed virtually. While it was already impressive to make it this far, he knew he had to figure out a way to stand out.

Prior to the interview, Rank bought a couple hundred cans of Mountain Dew and constructed a makeshift throne. He threw on his old homecoming crown and sash to lean further into the bit.

Shortly after, he received a call from the promotion's organizers while on his lunch break. He was the man who would marry a can of Hard Mountain Dew, an alcoholic malt beverage containing 5% alcohol by volume.

"I jumped in the air and then literally opened the back screen door and just did a lap around the house," Rank described, noting it was lucky he'd been working remotely that day to spare himself the curious glances of his coworkers.

Like for most engagements, the first people he told were his parents.

"They always thought my brother was gonna get married first," Rank joked, adding seriously. "But they thought it was hilarious. Like they knew that it's just a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

He also told several of his close friends, who decided to fly out to Las Vegas on their own funds to attend the ceremony.

The ceremony took place on Oct. 5. Rank was gifted a Mountain Dew-inspired tuxedo and took part in several photoshoots throughout the wedding, all with his close friends cheering him on. He admitted the actual event left his mind scattered.

"Even though my mind was going crazy, I was having a lot of fun," Rank said.

At the culmination of the ceremony, he got his first taste of the beverage in a mock-rendition of a first kiss. He said the drink tasted like regular diet soda despite its alcohol content, making it both delicious and dangerous.

In addition to the highly publicized wedding ceremony, Rank received hotel accommodations for a two night, three-day stay in Vegas, a reception at a premier club, $1,000 of spending money and, of course, some Hard Mountain Dew for him and his friends.

He drank most of the ceremonial can and emptied out the rest in order to take it back with him on the plane home. Along with the pull tab rings, Rank plans to keep the empty can as a souvenir.

Soda can ceremony leads to Avon controversy

Since the highly publicized event took place, Rank has gotten a lot of well wishes from around the world. He's also faced a bit of backlash closer to home.

"People in my hometown actually think I'm married to a can and don't understand it's a joke and a promotion," Rank said. "It's causing some controversy in the Indy area at the moment."

Though he's been hearing the older generation's spiel of asking what the world is coming to, Rank said he won't let any negativity dampen his experience.

"I think my biggest takeaway is just to have fun," he said.

When asked about his near-future plans, Rank said he will soon set off for a trip to Italy. Though he'd scheduled this vacation several months in advance, he plans to take the can with him — a belated honeymoon trip, he said.

Rachel Smith covers Indiana University and student life for The Herald-Times. Reach her at rksmith@heraldt.com or on Twitter @RachelSmithNews.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: IU grad marries can of Hard Mountain Dew in faux wedding ceremony