A wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime event, so it’s understandable that many couples would go to great lengths to make it memorable. One couple even took things to the next level, getting married in space.
Back in 2003, American Ekaterina Dmitrieva and Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko were the first couple to get married from orbit. They exchanged vows via a video link between Houston and the International Space Station, with Dmitrieva in her wedding dress and Malenchenko wearing his standard flight suit. The space station’s best man, Ed Lu, played Mendelssohn’s traditional “Wedding March” on the keyboard, and they sealed the deal by a traditional kiss.
Yuri Malenchenko has gone on to become one of the most well-known cosmonauts in history, spending more than two years in space and ranking second in total time spent in orbit behind Yuri Gagarin. He has also starred in numerous television shows and movies, including Star Trek, The Right Stuff, and Mission Impossible II. His marriage in space isn’t the only first of its kind, though.
Now, a company called Space Perspective is offering couples the chance to have a wedding at the edge of space on their own private capsule. The company’s website says they can accommodate up to nine passengers in a capsule that originally held astronauts on board the International Space Station. Space Perspective will rearrange furniture for the occasion and provide a bar and entertainment system. Its website claims guests will be able to toast the newlyweds and marvel at the planet’s curvature, the blackness of space, and the thin blue line where Earth’s atmosphere begins.
The cost for a space wedding starts at $125,000 per person, and if you’re interested in booking a trip, you’ll need to sign up for the waitlist on the company’s website. Travelers will spend six hours on a journey that’s designed to highlight the wonders of our solar system. Those lucky enough to take the trip will be able to snap pictures with their own cameras or use a professional drone, which is available for rent separately from the flight.
If you’re not ready to fork over that much cash, you can still celebrate your nuptials with a view of the stars from a raw space like an industrial warehouse or airport hangar. Just add a few otherworldly touches to your big day — like springy Martian antenna headbands, toy ray guns, and alien-shaped sunglasses for post-ceremony photos.
So what are you waiting for? Grab your spacesuit and a bottle of champagne, and make your wedding an out-of-this-world experience. Your future self will thank you. (Photo by Michael Poynter/Getty Images for Space Perspective)