Most people want their wedding to be a memorable one – and what better way to commemorate the special day than in the sky?
A brief history of in-flight weddings
Couples have been exchanging vows in the sky since the 1880s, when couples around the United States married in hot air balloons as crowds witnessed from below. When planes began taking to the skies, they became the more sought-after wedding venue.
Weddings onboard planes can be traced back to the early 1900s, when air travel, let alone seeing a plane in person, was a rarity. In 1912, actress Leona Cowan and salesman Neal Cochran wedded in one of the earliest airplane weddings ever recorded. The wedding took place on a Wright biplane parked at an airfield, rather than in the air.
Today, over a century later, weddings on planes still remain a novelty. One lucky couple flying a Chilean domestic flight from Santiago to Iquique onboard a LATAM flight received the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to have their wedding officiated by Pope Francis, who happened to be a passenger on the flight. The current Head of the Roman Catholic Church is the first and only pope ever to conduct a wedding on a plane.
Delta once helped organize a memorable wedding for a couple on a flight from Cincinnati to Washington with first-class seating for the bridal party, and even personalized motion sickness bags that said “In case love makes you queasy”. There was also an airport reception when the couple landed.
Don’t leave things “up in the air”
Since marriage is a legally binding procedure, getting married on a plane is not as straightforward as simply saying “I do” on a plane full of unsuspecting passengers. As Casey Greenfield, a New York lawyer who specializes in matrimonial law, aptly told Condé Nast Traveler in 2018:
“Getting married in the air is not something you should leave up in the air.”
Airspace is one issue that could pose a problem if you plan to get married on an international flight. To save yourself from complications (such as having to be a resident of the country that owns the airspace), it’s best to wed on a domestic flight. In the US, having a ceremony in the air over a state is legal, but you will need to have it officiated by someone who is authorized to legally marry a couple in that state.
Things to take note of
If you’re ever asked for the location of your wedding for whatever legal reasons, you could risk certain states or official bodies not recognizing your wedding location – chances are, “on a plane” is not a legally accepted answer.
Another issue could arise if a divorce were to happen. While most couples wouldn’t plan for a divorce when preparing to get married, those who want an in-flight wedding will need to discuss this beforehand, as divorce laws vary between states. To completely rule out all these complications, you could complete the legal parts of the marriage in a small official ceremony on ground. This way, all your official paperwork is taken care of before you take off for your wedding in the sky.
Also, don’t forget to check with your airline ahead of the flight so that they’re aware of your arrangements.
Want answers to more key questions in aviation? Check out the rest of our guides here.
Source: Condé Nast Traveler