Commercial aviation is typically used for what it was meant to do – bring passengers from Point A to Point B. However, you’ll occasionally hear about planes being used for something a little extra:
- Concerts (did Southwest finally end their Live at 35 program?)
- Joining the Mile High Club (y’all ever see all the celebrities who say they’re in “the club?”)
- Having a baby (no relation to joining the Mile High Club, I promise. Well, I hope!)
Weddings on planes have been around for more than 100 years. Simple Flying says the first wedding on a plane occurred in 1912 (granted, it happened while the plane was parked at an airfield but still, it was ON A PLANE). And they’ve just been happening ever since (check out that same Simple Flying post for a few unusual weddings in the air – including the one that Pope Francis officiated!).
So the fact that lovebirds Tina and Roger decided to get married on a recent Southwest flight not that long ago isn’t, by itself, isn’t that big of a deal.
What IS a big deal?
They turned their wedding, which would typically be a very private event, into a rather public one, where everyone on the plane – all strangers, mind you – were “invited” to the wedding at 35,000 feet. Whether they wanted to be there or not.
And it was all recorded for TikTok posterity.
A wedding… at 35,000 feet
The now-viral TikTok video has over 5 million views. In it, one of the Southwest flight attendants announced the impending nuptials over the intercom.
“As you all know Southwest is the love airline and today love is in the air,” the FA said. “We have a couple, Tina and Roger, who are about to quite literally walk down the aisle on this flight and all of you are invited to the wedding.”
They told passengers to remain seated “as a courtesy to the bride and groom,” and directed anyone who needed to use the lavatory to use the one in the back of the aircraft (the wedding was to be held in the front).
Tina then walked down the aisle while someone’s phone speaker played One Direction’s If I Could Fly. Roger, nervously chewing his gum, patiently waited for her in the front row of seats.
Once Tina had reached row 1, their officiant took the PA and thanked, “everyone for being here today” (like they had a choice?), who they described as “136 passengers turned newfound friends.”
Roger and Tina then exchanged vows at the front of the cabin, passing the PA back and forth as needed. Then the officiant, “…By the power vested in me by the state of Indiana, the F.A.A. and Southwest Airlines,” pronounced them man and wife.
Surrounded by the applause of their 136 “newfound friends,” Tina and Roger Simpson kissed and went back to the back of the plane.
The rest of the video was the wedding reception – yep, still on the plane. Tina threw her bouquet and people signed the guest book. And when the flight was done, the jetway was all decked out in streamers and balloons.
Finally, an airport golf cart, complete with flowers, red, yellow and blue Solo cups, and a Just Married sign, was there to pick up the newlyweds.
Here’s the video:
@katrinabadowski Congratulations Tina and Roger 😂🥰 @Southwest Airlines #loveisintheair #wedding
♬ Wedding March – Felix J L Mendelssohn Bartholdy and Helmuth Brandenburg
The internet has questions
As I said, the video went viral on TikTok, with over 1.6 million likes and 23.9k comments. And not all of them were in favor of this wedding in the air. Some of the comments were…harsh.
Using the PA so everyone “had” to hear the wedding
- “Thank you all for being here” as if they had another choice — Ava Major
- I would wake up from my nap so confused — lifewithlyly_
- Imagine you just got divorced and you’re moving across the country and this is your flight there — baylee
- And the iPad kid in the aisle not caring AT ALL.– Hailee Rawson
When you go on a flight, you might have plans of what you’re going to do with your time. Maybe you want to read a book. Or take a nap. Maybe you have to do work on your laptop. But no one on the flight could do those things because they got an added bonus of having to listen to a wedding on the PA, whether they wanted to or not.
And even if you had noise cancelling headphones, how rude would it be to be sitting there in row 4, with your over-the-ear headphones on, watching Keeping Up With The Kardashians.
To say nothing of anyone who might have negative feelings about suddenly being witness to a wedding. A new widow or widower? Someone in the midst of a messy divorce?
Having to stay in your seats
- I’ve never seen a wedding hostage situation — suzsanlane
- The way she mouthed thank you to a captive audience I’m dead🤣 — Farah
Granted, Tina didn’t take very long to walk down the aisle, and I don’t know if anyone got up during the actual ceremony (because again, that would be SO rude). But can you imagine having to use the lav RIGHT NOW, and you can’t because you’re going to get in the bride’s way? Or you want to get something out of the overhead and have to wait, like this woman?
Holding the front lav hostage
You did catch that part, right? “…and if you do have to use the lavatory, please use the one in the back of the aircraft.” So 136 people can’t use the front lav – they have to hold it in and wait for whoever’s in the back to finish up. Awesomesauce.
Our take on it
It’s certainly not ours to say where or how someone has their wedding. This will certainly be a story the bride and groom will tell people for forever.
But unfortunately, 136 of the “newest friends” will also have stories to tell. Will they all be good stories?
Of course, some of the passengers were undoubtedly thrilled to be witness to an event like this.
But for everyone else? Airplanes are uncomfortable enough as it is. It’s up to the individual to determine what will help them make the best out of an uncomfortable situation. And for many people, having to hear and watch the wedding of 2 strangers is probably as far from “making the best of an uncomfortable situation” as one can get.
They could have had their ceremony anywhere – including their own seats, with the officiant next to them. Forcing 136 strangers to be a part of their “perfect day” is, in my humble opinion, intrusive and not so perfect.
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2 comments
As usual. Unless the officiant is legal in the state they are flying over – it’s not valid. The captain can marry them. For the duration of the flight.
My research suggests that the captain cannot marry people; it’s not the same as a ship’s captain (exception: Japan, albeit with some caveats). Also, as long as they have a marriage license from whichever state they choose, they’re legally married, regardless. The ceremony – ANY ceremony, performed anywhere – is just for show.