Some couples dream of a quiet backyard wedding or a simple courthouse ceremony. Others? Well, they want something a bit more memorable. For those adventurous duos, their wedding day is a chance to go big, be bold, and sometimes, just plain bizarre. There seems to be no limit to the strange places and ceremonies couples have cooked up for themselves and, often, their unsuspecting loved ones.
This list explores ten of the most surprising, strange, and downright extreme destination weddings recorded. Depending on your taste, these might inspire your own out-of-the-box wedding or make you grateful for a simple chapel. If you’re planning your big day, choose your adventure wisely!
10. Dangling Vows: A Wedding on a Crane
Imagine exchanging vows while hoisted 165 feet into the air! Companies like ‘Marriage in the Sky’ offer this sky-high experience. They’ve taken the idea of ‘Dinner in the Sky’ and adapted it for nuptials. The wedding party, guests, and even an organ can be lifted by a massive crane.
As they put it, you can get married “just as they would in church… but in the clouds, among the angels.” If you’ve got a head for heights and a desire for a truly elevated ceremony, this might be the perfect, unconventional choice.
9. Icy Nuptials: Antarctica
What screams romance more than vast icy landscapes and the threat of freezing waters? For some, Antarctica, the world’s largest desert with no permanent human residents, is the ultimate wedding destination. It’s becoming a surprisingly popular spot for those seeking a unique backdrop.
Companies offer packages for couples wanting to experience the serene, if desolate, beauty of the Antarctic. You can even say your vows on a raft in the frigid ocean, dressed in your wedding best. Just be careful not to fall in – hypothermia is a swift and unwelcome guest, not to mention potential encounters with local wildlife like orcas.
8. Rollercoaster Romance: Thrills and Vows
They say marriage is a rollercoaster, so why not start it on one? Couples willing to risk motion sickness during their vows are certainly proving their tolerance. A wedding on a functioning rollercoaster might just be the ultimate test of commitment.
Take Ashley and Thom Marchetti, for example. They got married on Six Flags New England’s Superman rollercoaster. Dressed in full wedding attire, they sat in the front row, with their officiant right behind them. They screamed their “I do’s” at the coaster’s 200-foot peak, just as their stomachs dropped. Talk about a breathtaking moment!
7. A Bunker Beginning: The Führerbunker
There’s ‘strange’ in a fun way, and then there’s ‘strange’ in a deeply unsettling way. This one falls into the latter category. Yes, Adolf Hitler’s wedding to Eva Braun makes this list due to its profoundly grim and bizarre location: the Führerbunker.
In the early hours of April 29, 1945, with Allied forces closing in on Berlin, Hitler married Braun in this underground air raid shelter. The ceremony took place about 30 feet below ground, amidst damp concrete walls, flickering lights, and the constant sound of battle. Considering the circumstances and the setting, it’s arguably one of the worst wedding destinations imaginable.
6. Aisle of Style: The TJ Maxx Shoe Department
Lisa Satayut, a self-proclaimed “Maxxinista,” loved TJ Maxx so much that she decided to marry her fiancé, Drew Ellis, right there. Specifically, they chose the shoe aisle of one of their stores for their special day.
Surprisingly, the ceremony was quite tasteful. The store aisle was transformed with a heart-shaped arch adorned with roses, a red carpet, and scattered rose petals. The couple was elegantly dressed, and traditional string music played as they walked the aisle. It proves that even the strangest destination can host a beautiful wedding.
5. Under the Sea: A Submerged Ceremony
Yes, you can actually have your entire wedding ceremony underwater! Don your scuba gear over your wedding attire and dive into marital bliss. Many companies offer underwater weddings in stunning marine locations around the world, from the Bahamas to the Great Barrier Reef.
Couples often kneel on the seafloor for the ceremony. The main challenge? You can’t speak or hear underwater. So, vows are usually exchanged using pre-written cue cards. And that first kiss as a married couple? That’ll have to wait until you’re back on dry land.
4. Gothic Grandeur: Dracula’s Castle
If your idea of a fairytale wedding leans more towards the gothic, then Bran Castle, famously known as Dracula’s Castle, might be for you. This historic and imposing castle offers a unique venue for couples seeking a touch of the dramatic.
While the connection to Dracula and Vlad the Impaler is more legend than historical fact for this specific castle, it has undeniably developed a strong association with all things vampiric. Both the inside and outside of the castle look the part, providing an eerie yet romantic atmosphere.
3. Flippered Fiancé: Marrying a Dolphin
Sharon Tendler’s wedding is certainly one of the most unusual. She got married on a dock at Israel’s Dolphin Reef, a beautiful location in itself. What made it strange was her groom: a dolphin named Cindy (though the video identifies the dolphin as a male counterpart). The groom, naturally, spent the entire ceremony in the water.
Tendler defended her choice, stating, “It’s not a perverted thing. I do love this dolphin. He’s the love of my life… It’s just a pure love that I have for this animal.” This wedding definitely pushes the boundaries of destination and companionship.
2. Peak Performance: Mount Everest
Several weddings have taken place on Mount Everest, but they mainly fall into two types: those at base camp and those at the summit. Getting married at a base camp is already an adventure, but one Nepalese couple, Moni Mulepati and Pem Dorjee, took it thousands of steps further.
They exchanged vows at the very peak of Mount Everest, over 29,000 feet above sea level. Due to the extreme cold and lack of oxygen, the entire ceremony lasted less than ten minutes. They quickly removed their oxygen masks, donned plastic garlands, said their vows, and began their descent. Now that’s a commitment!
1. Cosmic Commitment: Weddings in Space
Believe it or not, space has already hosted engagements and even marriages. And it seems more astral unions are on the horizon. The main requirement is to be an astronaut or have a few hundred thousand dollars to spare for a private space flight.
One such wedding involved Ekaterina Dmitriev and Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko. Dmitriev said “I do” to a cardboard cutout of Malenchenko on Earth while he participated via video link from the International Space Station. For a more direct experience, companies like Space Perspective are booking space weddings, with prices ranging from $125,000 to $2.3 million. An out-of-this-world experience, literally, though motion sickness is a statistical likelihood.
From the depths of the ocean to the vastness of space, these couples prove that when it comes to weddings, love knows no bounds – or conventional venues. These unique celebrations redefine what a destination wedding can be, offering inspiration for those who dare to be different.
Which of these strange wedding destinations surprised you the most? Or do you have another bizarre wedding story to share? Leave your comment below!
