It is rare for a couple to marry in outer space, but the first space wedding took place in 2000. Ekaterina Dmitrieva, a U.S. citizen of Russian descent, and cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko exchanged vows over a satellite link while at NASA headquarters. Although only one half of the couple was in orbit, it was enough to create a special moment for the couple. Several years later, the couples’ happiness was felt on Earth.
The first space wedding took place in 1998. In the early 2000s, the Russian space agency hired an American millionaire, Dennis Tito, to pay for his marriage in orbit. The wedding took place in the International Space Station and was classified as a private family conference. The ceremony was not broadcast on NASA television. In the meantime, a bow tie and a wedding ring were delivered to the ISS aboard the Progress cargo spacecraft. The ring was identical to Ekaterina’s and set with precious stones in gold. The newlyweds were also given a white hat and a tuxedo.
In 2007, Yuri Malenchenko and his U.S. wife were married in space. The couple was in Houston, Texas, when they exchanged vows. The wedding was recorded and transmitted via video. The Yuri Malenchenko’s fiancee, Ed Lu, was at the International Space Station during the event. The two exchanged rings and vows, and the ceremony was characterized as a “private family conference” by the Russian Space Agency.
In addition to the Yuri and Ekaterina spacecraft, the Russian space program has sent a dog and a tourist to the International Space Station. In October, Yuri and Ekaterina Dmitriev will be married on the International Space Station. A U.S. cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko stood in for the Russian astronaut, and the tele-wedding was conducted via the hotline.
The wedding took place in outer space and was broadcast through the suborbital spaceplane from the Japanese Astronaut Training Center. The entire ceremony was recorded on video and classified as a “private family conference” by Roscosmos. The Yuri and Elina’s spouse will also be present during the ceremony, accompanied by Ed Lu. In addition to this, Yuri and Elina’s son, David, will perform the proxy wedding.
While the space wedding hasn’t yet been officially launched in the United States, the Japanese aerospace company Rocketplane Kistler is now taking reservations for space weddings. The cost of a space wedding is approximately $2 million (USD), and the ceremony will be broadcast at an altitude of 100 kilometers or 62.1 miles. The Yuri and Elina’s parents were present during the ceremony, while the Russian minister performed the ceremony. The Yuri’s parents were also able to witness the entire event through live broadcasts.
The Yuri and Elina will conduct their ceremony at high altitudes in orbit and have an actual wedding in the spaceship. They will also have the opportunity to marry in a sacred space. The Russian government, however, disapproves of their plans. Nevertheless, their wedding will be live-broadcast on a website. The couple will have about 60 minutes to exchange vows during the journey. In addition to this, the Russians’ embassy has also supported the idea.