A Virgin Australia flight from Melbourne to Sydney has played host to the airline’s first-ever mid-air wedding, for Melbourne couple, Elaine Tiong and Luke Serdar.
Love was certainly in the air yesterday, as Elaine Tiong and Luke Serdar tied the knot at 40,000ft, onboard flight VA841 from Melbourne to Sydney.
Stunned passengers looked on as Elaine walked down the aircraft aisle wearing a striking white ensemble, before Australian actress, singer and now well-known wedding celebrant, Tottie Goldsmith, solemnised the nuptials, with the couple officially tying the knot at 40,000 feet, as the aircraft flew over Canberra in the ACT.
Dubbed, a Wedding in the Sky, Elaine, 35, a stylist, and Luke, 36, an electrician, who hail from Prahran in Melbourne’s inner eastern suburbs, said they were looking for an unconventional wedding without the fuss.
“We actually had planned to marry onboard a Virgin Australia flight on Valentine’s Day, but we had to postpone when the Victorian lockdown came into play just 24-hours before the big day, so after a false start, we couldn’t be happier to finally tie the knot today,” said Luke.
“I’m 17 weeks’ pregnant and we just decided we didn’t want any fuss and here we are marrying onboard a flight in front of 150 complete strangers,” Elaine laughed.
“The truth is, I was a wedding planner for many years, and after organising hundreds of weddings, I wanted something different for us.”
Elaine Tiong, Bride
“This is always what I had dreamed of – doing something random and completely out of the box. After friends suggested I marry on a flight – Luke loves travel and planes – I couldn’t think of a more perfect way for us to say ‘I do’, and here we are,” she said.
When asked about the reaction from friends and family, Luke says: “Our friends and family will probably think we’re a bit crazy, but know we’re always up for an adventure!
We’re pregnant and while both originally from Adelaide, our families now live between the UK, America and Croatia. After five years of dating we wanted to elope, and thanks to Virgin Australia, we’ve done just that,” he said.
As a result of strict COVID-19 regulations, the couple first kissed as husband and wife upon disembarkation of the aircraft in Sydney, where they were finally able to remove their face masks.
Virgin Australia Group General Manager Product and Customer Sarah Adam congratulated the couple.
“We couldn’t be happier for Luke and Elaine, and from all of us at Virgin Australia, we wish them a very happy life together,” said Ms Adam.
“We’re Australia’s most loved airline, so it’s only fitting that we took love to new heights today, with our first-ever mid-air wedding. We’re a fun and vibrant airline and travellers can continue to expect surprises like this when they fly with us.”
Sarah Adam, Virgin Australia Group General Manager Product and Customer
As part of the onboard celebrations, Virgin Australia cabin crew gave each passenger a buttermilk biscuit wedding favour in the shape of a love heart by Memory Lane Cookies.
Celebrity wedding celebrant, actress and singer Tottie Goldsmith said, “Just like Elaine and Luke, I’m always up for an adventure… and this is one right out of the box!
“Not many people can say they boarded a flight as an engaged couple then disembarked a married one. I’m so thrilled to have been able to share in their experience and in their love for one another,” she said.
Virgin Australia is well-known for its mid-air celebrations. From onboard marriage proposals, to Australia’s first-ever fashion show on a passenger flight, to achieving a Guinness World Record with the Black Eyes Peas performing at 41,000 feet, and now a Wedding in the Sky.
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