A space wedding is a reality. Ekaterina Dmitriev and Yuri Malenchenko tied the knot in a video link from the International Space Station to Houston, Texas, 16 years ago. While her husband Yuri was in orbit, Dmitriev was on earth at NASA’s headquarters. Malenchenko dialed into the video link from the International Space Station to marry her. The couple exchanged vows and then had a photo shoot.
The space wedding ceremony will take place in zero gravity, with the couple spending several minutes exchanging vows. Three guests will be invited to attend. Most of the ceremony will take place before takeoff. The Japanese company, First Advantage, has a tie-up with Rocket Plane, an American company. Although the couple will most likely be floating in space, they will not be far enough out to actually experience total weightlessness. For more information, visit their website.
The Russian Mission Control Center never got in touch with the couple. They were not allowed to broadcast the event on NASA’s television, so the wedding was not broadcast. When Yuri Malenchenko returned to Earth two months later, his bride, Ekaterina, was waiting at the airport for him. Although she had moved to Russia, she had not yet renounced her U.S. citizenship. Despite the difficulties of space, Yuri and Ekaterina had their wedding on the International Space Station. The couple have a daughter, Camilla.
The Japanese firm Rocketplane Kistler has partnered with Oklahoma City’s First Advantage to offer couples the chance to exchange their vows in zero gravity. The space plane will cost about 240 million yen ($2.2 million) and will be fired 100 kilometers into the sky. The wedding ceremony will last about one hour, including an in-flight photo album. The ceremony will include a wedding cake, champagne, and photo albums. Guests are also encouraged to attend, as well as watch the live broadcast of the ceremony.
In 2007, Russian Air Force Commander Colonel General Vladimir Mikhailov said that active military personnel must wait until they get permission to marry on the ground before tying the knot. However, Malenchenko disagreed, and he married his American wife in Houston. It is unknown if other cosmonauts will be allowed to have a space wedding in the future, because cosmonaut contracts do not allow such marriages. However, many people think it is an amazing and unique idea, which will inspire other cosmonauts to follow suit.
Whether it’s in the sky or on earth, a space wedding can be memorable and unforgettable. In fact, Mars and Earth-bound humans have been planning space weddings for decades. The Mars Wedding Package company is working with an architect from Earth to make it a reality. They promise it will be stunning and will be ready for guests within a few months. While the Mars wedding won’t be the first space wedding, the concept has already inspired countless space-themed weddings.