Getting married in an exotic locale is a popular way to set your wedding apart from the rest. But if you really want to go all out, what about saying “I do” in outer space?
In 2003, Cosmonaut Yuri Malechenko became the first man to marry while in orbit. He tied the knot via video link with his bride, Ekaterina Dmitriev, who stood on the ground in Texas while her husband orbited in a Russian spacecraft.
The couple’s wedding was not without controversy, though. At the time, the military had a rule that no active Russian officer, who might have access to state secrets, could marry a citizen of another country. In addition, the Russian Mission Control Center refused to provide assistance to the astronauts in their ceremony. Eventually, the rules were changed and the pair’s marriage was registered in Texas.
A similar space wedding took place in 2009 when a pair of American astronauts got married aboard the International Space Station. The ceremony was livestreamed from Earth, while the astronauts celebrated on board the ISS. However, the event was controversial because it was the first time that a married couple had a wedding while in orbit. This was a big deal, as the contracts that astronauts sign before space missions include a clause that forbids them from having wedding ceremonies in orbit.
As a result, the couple’s ceremony was not without controversy, and in 2019 the US astronauts were fired from their jobs after the incident made national headlines. They were accused of wasting NASA resources and violating their official duties. They were later reinstated, but it remains unclear whether their marriage was a factor.
One company, First Advantage, has been accepting reservations from couples who want to say “I do” in space. Their initial fee of $2.3 million covers everything from the bride’s dress to a reception on Earth, accommodations at the launch site, and travel expenses for all the guests. However, the cost can quickly rise if you add things like an on-board video broadcast or an on-board camera operator.
If you can’t afford the $2.3 million fee, Virginia-based Zero Gravity Corporation offers private zero gravity flights starting at $165,000. While they won’t get you to space, it will feel pretty close and give you that feeling of weightlessness that might be just as exciting for your guests.
Other ways to make your space themed wedding take flight include adding details like springy Martian antennae headbands and toy ray guns to the mix. These will help your wedding look authentic and be perfect for post-ceremony photos. You can also offer your guests tablescapes that are a nod to the space theme, like reusable tablecloths that feature an image of the Red Planet. This will let your theme truly take off.