When it comes to weddings, people leave no stone unturned in making their big day unforgettable. From lavish halls to religious places, they do everything possible to make the day a special one for their loved ones. But, what if they took things a step further? What if they got married in space? Yes, such an event has taken place in the past and it had some serious repercussions. In 2003, a Russian cosmonaut married a U.S. citizen while still on a mission in space, and it had some interesting consequences. The bride, Ekaterina Dmitrieva, walked into the hall wearing her classic wedding dress to David Bowie’s “Absolute Beginners.” She then looked at her groom on the video conference monitor — 402 km over New Zealand in space. She then blew him a kiss, and he responded in kind.
Yuri Malenchenko was no stranger to space, having been on five missions and spending two years in orbit. In fact, he is the second longest-serving cosmonaut in history. And he earned the title of “Hero of Russia” for his professional accomplishments. But, it was his space wedding that landed him in hot water with the Russian military and space officials.
The cosmonaut’s daring move violated the contract he signed before his space missions that banned him from getting married in orbit. And the repercussions did not go over well with the higher-ups. He was denied the promotion to the post of first deputy head of the Cosmonaut Training Center (CPC), which would have given him access to classified information. This was because of his unauthorized marriage to the US citizen.
But, despite the consequences of his space wedding, Yuri Malenchenko went on to work in the rocket and space industry for many more years. The incident did however, permanently scar him.
Today, with destination weddings becoming increasingly popular and space tourism gaining momentum, it seems as though getting married in space is just a matter of time. In fact, a company called Space Perspective is already offering the service to couples yearning for celestial nuptials. The company plans to send couples into space in a carbon-neutral balloon that has massive windows so they can view the planet below them from their seats. The six-hour trip is expected to cost couples $125,000 per seat.
Co-Founder Jane Poynter of Space Perspective says that they have been “overwhelmed with interest” from couples wanting to get married in space. And they have already started to build a waitlist. They plan to open the bookings for 2024 late this year.
The waitlist is currently open and if you want to be a part of this out-of-this world experience, then you can sign up on their website. The Neptune flight will take passengers 100,000 feet above Earth and they will be able to see the curvature of our planet and the blackness of space with their own eyes. The company expects the experience to be both exhilarating and meditative, allowing passengers to reflect on their own personal journeys while enjoying a unique view of our home planet.