When it comes to weddings, couples leave no stone unturned in making it a special day. They can be held in grand halls, religious places, on lavish cruises or even mid-air on airplanes. However, one couple took it to the next level by getting married in space. A company is now offering the opportunity for couples to take their vows 100,000 feet above Earth. The ethereal experience comes with a hefty price tag though.
The company known as Space Perspective will give couples the chance to take their vows in space by launching them into orbit on a carbon-neutral balloon equipped with enormous windows. The company says the six-hour Spaceship Neptune flight will provide couples with “the stunning views of the curvature of the Earth, the vast blackness of space, and the thin blue line of our atmosphere.”
Interested couples can book their seats on the Space Perspective website. However, they will need to pay a whopping $125,000 per seat. According to the company, the awe-inspiring flight will be customized for each couple. Besides the spectacular view, guests can look forward to amenities such as drinks, plush seating, interactive lighting, and sound systems. The company also lets the passengers rearrange the furniture to adapt it for a special event like a wedding.
According to the Co-Founder of Space Perspective, Jane Poynter, the waiting list for a celestial nuptial is already light-years long. “It’s a very popular idea, and we’ve had quite a few requests,” she says.
It’s not the first time a couple has tied the knot in space, but it certainly is the most unusual. The first space wedding happened 16 years ago, when US astronaut Ekaterina Dmitrieva and Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko got married in Texas while he was orbiting in the International Space Station. They exchanged rings via a video link, and she walked down the aisle to a David Bowie song. She even wore her white dress to the ceremony, while he went with his standard space suit complete with a bow tie.
Traci and Dave Gagnon are another couple who decided to take their wedding in space. The pair met in the virtual world and were wed on Labor Day weekend. During the ceremony, their digital avatars walked down the aisle and gave toasts. They were joined by their seven-year-old twin virtual avatars as the ring bearer and flower girl.
The couple also threw a reception in their home. Guests toasted to the newlyweds with champagne and enjoyed a variety of appetizers and desserts. The reception was also a chance for the couple to show off their new home. The space-themed decorations included a custom twilight theme and a starlight ceiling. The couple has been together for 14 years and has two children. This is their second marriage. The previous was with a man who died of cancer before the wedding. The happy couple now lives in the Colorado mountains. They have a dog named Charlie and both enjoy hiking and skiing.