A hymn-filled ceremony followed by a reception in a blustery church hall was all that was needed to satisfy the appetites of most UK newlyweds in times gone by. For many, the icing on the cake would have been a couple of bottles of cut-price champagne or a few bits of lace to jazz up a hand-me-down wedding dress.
Today’s brides and grooms need more than a honeymoon on the Cornish coast to get their hearts racing though, and many will stop at nothing to ensure that their impending nuptials secure them a place in the history books.
Whether you are having a service in the plains of Africa or saying “I do” as you dangle precariously from a bungee rope, no request is too big (or too wacky) for the ultimate 21st century wedding.
Here are just a few extreme wedding ideas that are bound to leave an impression on family and friends for years to come:
The final frontier
Sci-Fi buffs or couples who simply have a burning desire to discover what’s lurking in our vast Galaxy will jump at the chance to exchange their vows in outer space. In 2008, a spokesman for Virgin Galactic confirmed that two bookings involving marriage had been made on the service, with one couple opting to get married in space and another choosing the $200,000-a-flight spacecraft as their ideal honeymoon destination.
Under the sea
While a ceremony on land is the natural choice for many, those who are looking for a completely unique experience may want to head to the depths of the sea in their bid to tie the knot. An underwater wedding in the warm waters of the island of San Andres, north-west of the Colombian mainland, is ideal for diving enthusiasts. Although your guest list will be restricted to the wide variety of marine life within the area, the glorious setting of stunning coral reefs and crystal clear waters will more than make up for it. This particular option is available through saiweddings.com.
Mount Everest
Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgar first made their ascent up Mount Everest in 1953 and if you are keen to recreate this feat 60 years after the event, and get hitched at the same time, start planning you big day for May 292013. In 2005 a Nepalese couple known as Moni Mulepati, 24, and groom Pem Dorjee, 23, exchanged their vows on Mount Everest at 29,035 feet. If you are prepared to brace high altitudes and inclement weather to declare your love for one another, a mountain top wedding could be just the ticket.
Too hot to handle
The threat of molten lava and temperatures that would send a thermometer into overdrive doesn’t sound like the ideal conditions for your perfect day. A wedding in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park could provide an ideal alternative. Although you and your loved one may potentially have to deal with the particular joy of hearing volcanoes rumbling, pre-eruption you will get to say “I do” with views of the Kilauea Caldera or Kilauea Iki Crater – one of the scenes of Hawaii’s most violent volcanic displays. (If you like volcanoes, check out our other blogs – Hiking the Volcán Pacaya, Guatemala, Smokin! Volcano Alley, Ecuador, I Want to Wednesday… I want to see a volcano up close! We have a thing about Volcano Tourism!)
(Images: Alaska Events Association, Maynard, RG Photo)
