Get married life off to a flying start with Concorde ceremony

Published on Monday 16 May 2005 11:35

MOST wedding couples have to wait for the honeymoon before they step on board a plane.

But for couples tying the knot at Edinburgh’s latest wedding venue, the trip up the aisle can be done on board a supersonic jet.

Concorde, on display at the Museum of Flight at East Fortune, is opening up to couples looking for a supersonic wedding venue.

The plane, which was able to jet luxury travellers across the Atlantic in less than three hours, is to host ceremonies at the front of the cabin, while guests relax in first-class airline seats.

A spokeswoman for the National Museums of Scotland said: "It’s an amazing venue - the guests can sit in the seats the passengers themselves would have sat in, while the minister or registrar carries out the ceremony at the front where the stewardesses would have given the safety briefing."

"Unfortunately the cockpit on a Concorde is too small to accommodate even more than one person, never mind a bride, groom and minister, so the ceremony is carried out at the front of the cabin, where the guests can see."

And the bride can even walk down an aisle, as in a traditional wedding. The spokeswoman added: "The bride can enter the plane from the back steps and walk past the guests in a normal way. The plane’s aisle is perfect for a wedding."

Up to 40 guests can attend the ceremony, while the reception in the hangar can cater for as many as 400 people. For those watching from beneath the aircraft’s 83ft wingspan, a special screen can beam a recording of the ceremony into the hangar. But guests will not have to eat airline food at the reception - a buffet or sit-down meal is on offer for guests.

Rachel Hill, hospitality and events manager of the National Museums of Scotland, said: "Concorde is a unique venue with ultimate wow factor. Couples looking for a memorable and glamorous day will love this option, while of course we also expect Concorde to be the perfect wedding venue for plane and aviation enthusiasts.

"Concorde is likely to be a popular choice as it is so versatile. Couples will be hard pushed to find many other venues in and around Edinburgh that can cater for an intimate party of 20 as well as a party of up to 400 guests."

Susanna Lane, wedding planner at event management company In The Event, on Causewayside, Edinburgh, said she thought Concorde would prove to be a big hit with couples planning a big day with a difference.

She said: "Weddings are becoming more of a showcase of people’s personalities rather than sticking to the traditional things. I think people are looking for more quirky venues to hold their weddings now and Concorde would certainly be something different.

"I think it would particularly appeal to people who are having a second marriage and don’t want to do the whole white dress and church ceremony."