Odd Couples and Bizarre Weddings
by Kathy Batesel
Unique, Memorable Weddings that are Downright Bizarre
Have you ever thought "How did they ever get married? They are such an odd couple!" Are you fascinated by tales of bizarre weddings that make you go, "Hmm?"
I have! I've met couples whose ages are decades apart and adore each other. I've seen couples where one partner is attractive enough to be a fashion model and the other wouldn't dare go to an audition for the job. I admire them for defying cultural norms. But then there are some stories that provoke an entirely different response.
I've brought together some weddings that will make you laugh, gasp, and groan at just how weird weddings can be, but I've gotta admit, some of these are kinda cool, too!
Have You Ever...
Have you ever taken part in a wedding that would be considered extremely unusual?
A Toast to Love... However it Manifests!
"You're Marrying Who?"
1. According to the Digital Journal, in 2007 a self-confessed narcissist married himself using a life-sized photo of himself in women's bridal wear because he was "dissatisfied with reality." Then 39, Lie Ye planned a traditional wedding in which he, along with his cardboard bride, toasted guests and observed respected Chinese ceremonial rites like honoring heaven, earth, ancestors, and aged guests.
Ah, well. At least a real person won't have to deal with the way narcissism affects relationships!
2. South Dakota woman Nadine Schweigert had a different reason and method for marrying herself. She claims self empowerment fueled her decision to commit to her "inner groom," according to her interview with Anderson Cooper.
Would this qualify as a same-sex marriage? Although I can sort of wrap my head around her reasoning, I wouldn't dare ask her about her sex life.
3. Then there are those pet lovers who have unusual reasons for wedding their furry friends:
- Joseph Guiso married his pooch in a public ceremony in Toowomba after assuring human friends and family that their love was not sexual, but pure.
- Ghana woman Emily Mabou didn't find much support from her family, who boycotted her wedding to her dog. Her canine companion reportedly reminded her of her "kind, faithful, and loyal" father.
- In India, marriage to animals is permitted in order to exorcise ghosts that have invaded their lives. They don't claim such marriages to be true love, however, and may go on to marry again once they're no longer bothered by otherwordly inhabitants.
Interview with a Woman Who Has OS
Do You Take This Thing to be Your Lawfully Wedded... What?
Though political activists sometimes chain themselves to objects to raise public awareness about social issues, a few people "chain" themselves to objects for other reasons.
Erika Eiffel took her beloved groom's name as her own when she filed to change her name after marrying the (drum roll, please!) Eiffel Tower. So did Eija-Riitta Berliner-Mauer, who felt anguished by the torture her husband of 29 years, the Berlin Wall, endured at the hands of the German peoples who demolished it.
One man married a pillow emblazoned with his favorite anime character. Another took a steam engine locomotive to be his bride. Yet another woman finally wed her favorite roller coaster after taking over 3,000 rides on ... him? It?
Most people who have married inanimate objects have a sexual orientation known as object sexuality (OS), a condition that may be related to Asperger's Syndrome. According to Health Guidance, people with OS may project feelings of pleasure or love into an inaminate object and believe that the object has feelings for them as well. While there may be an aspect of sexuality to their beliefs, they predominantly feel love and commitment instead. The idea of a relationship with another human may be difficult for them to imagine.
Jules Undersea Lodge
You're Taking the Plunge... Where?
The Jules Undersea Lodge isn't exactly a resort, but it certainly qualifies as an unusual place to dive headlong into marriage. Located 21-feet below the ocean's surface, this former research laboratory offers a 2-bedroom hideaway for visitors who SCUBA dive through the mangrove lagoon where it's located, ideal for an elopement and a honeymoon. (People who aren't SCUBA certified may take a 3-hour course to obtain qualification for making the dive.)
For another kind of nature lover, nudist resorts like the Desert Sun Resort in Palm Springs, California offer adults a choice of socializing with or without clothing in a luxurious and romantic Mediterranean style environment. Imagine how much is saved on the dresses alone!
Lovely Place for a Wedding?
Click thumbnail to view full-sizePerhaps you've heard of the Elvis Presley wedding chapel in Las Vegas, Nevada, where Elvis impersonators will conduct the wedding and serenade you with your choice of Presley's hits. (I don't recommend choosing "Hound Dog!")
For people who prefer to live life in the fast lane, Vegas also offers drive-through weddings for under a hundred bucks. Now that I think about it, though, I don't know many Las Vegas marriages that have endured.
Maybe that's why some people want to tie the knot at a place with special meaning, like a fast-food restaurant where they met or the garbage dump where they worked together. Read about strange places to get married in Travel and Leisure, where you'll discover that the famous wooden Cyclone roller coaster on Coney Island, where the ride's cars may symbolize the ups and downs they'll experience for years to come.
How About a Themed Wedding?
What kind of theme would you choose for your wedding?
Popular Fairy Tale Wedding Themes
Odd Wedding Themes
I suppose it had to happen eventually, but I'd never heard of wedding themes until recently. Some aren't so new and are exactly what you might expect: the "fairy tale" wedding based on the Secret Garden or Beauty and the Beast, for instance, or Valentine's Day.
Others can be quite novel.
Puerto Rican event planner Nuestra Herencia Co. offers tips and items for people to plan a wide array of wedding themes, including Barbecue, wild west, military, seahorse, forest, and other wedding themes. Pretty cool and not exactly bizarre or strange, but then there are some that are...
Browse through these images to discover unusual themes like the "rock star" wedding, a cheese-y one, and how to get hitched Halloween style.
Personally, I like the creativity behind some of these ideas, but it reminds me that the wedding is just an event. It doesn't really say anything about what really counts - which is the quality of the marriage in all the days that follow.