If you’re an intrepid bride or groom planning a wedding that will take your love beyond the stars, there are a variety of options available. For example, a Florida-based company called Space Perspective offers a six-hour journey to the edge of space that will allow you to celebrate your marriage in zero gravity, the company says.
For those who prefer a more laid-back approach to the big day, Airbnb hosts may also be able to accommodate your dreams. Some of them have beautiful homes that are perfect for small weddings, planner Tiffany Rivera of Simply Breathe Events says. She suggests choosing a home that has plenty of natural light to help your floral arrangements and other decorations shine.
If your dream wedding involves a destination far from home, consider a venue that offers amenities you might need for the big day, such as restrooms or kitchens. Event spaces that offer these services can make the planning process easier and more efficient by eliminating a lot of extra work for you and your planner.
Yuri Malenchenko, a Russian cosmonaut who is among the most accomplished astronauts of all time, married his long-time partner while on an expedition to the International Space Station (ISS). While officials initially tried to convince him to postpone the wedding until he returned to Earth, he and his wife went ahead with it, even though their decision was met with disapproval from other Russian space and military authorities.
But it didn’t ruin their lives, and the pair are still together. Their story has also inspired other couples, and they are not alone in their endeavors. In fact, many aspiring astronauts have gotten married while in space. Some of these couples have had their ceremonies performed by ISS commanders, who are allowed to solemnize marriages under Texas law.
Nevertheless, getting married in space can be costly, especially if you want to do it right. One couple, for instance, spent $2.2 million on the ceremony — which included a live broadcast, a reception on the ground, a custom-designed dress, a video and photo album and four days of rehearsal.
Other options include marrying aboard the ISS or renting a private satellite. The latter is not as expensive as it sounds, because you can get in touch with a satellite provider that will rent you the space for your special day.
And for those who can’t afford to shell out $2.2 million, a few companies are now offering to marry people in space. Rocketplane Kistler Japan and wedding planner First Advantage will soon start offering a one-hour ceremony to wed in zero gravity at 62.1 miles above the planet’s surface, they say. That costs $2.2 million — but it includes a video and photo album to prove you can do what no other bride or groom has done before. That’s not bad considering you can spend that much on a vacation in Bermuda.