Jetstar couple get married at 34,000 feet on a JQ201 flight between Australia and New Zealand

A bride has walked down the aisle of a Jetstar plane to marry the love of her life at 34,000 feet – eight years after meeting her husband through an online aviation game. 

Australian groom David Valliant and his bride Cathy Rolfe, from New Zealand, decided to exchange their vows mid-flight after struggling to pick the right venue for their big day. 

Taking their romance to new heights, the pair said ‘I do’ in front of their bridal party and airline passengers on board the Jetstar flight JQ201, travelling between their home cities Sydney and Auckland on Wednesday, October 9.

The bride walked down the aisle of a Jetstar plane to marry the love of her life at 34,000 feet

‘For our wedding we wanted something really memorable,’ Cathy said.

‘We wanted it symbolise our love for aviation, our love for Australia and New Zealand and our love for each other.’

The airline staff members rallied behind the couple to bring their special day forward after Cathy secretly contacted Jetstar with a special request to get married on a flight between their two countries.

‘I thought, I’ll be cheeky and ask Jetstar. Without telling Dave, I posted on Jetstar’s Facebook page with the ask. I was so excited when they said they’d see what they could do,’ she said.

To make their dream come true, Jetstar arranged for the bride and groom and their wedding party to sit up front of the commercial flight across the Tasman where they could hold a ceremony and pledge their life-long commitment.

Celebrant Robyn Holt (centre) married the duo at 34,000 feet between Sydney and Auckland

Jetstar arranged for the bride and groom and their bridal party to sit up front of the flight across the Tasman where they could hold a ceremony and pledge their life-long commitment

Cathy – who was dressed in a stunning white gown and veil and her husband shared a kiss at the alter after exchanging their vows

Cathy – who was dressed in a stunning white gown and veil and her husband shared a kiss at the altar after exchanging their vows.

‘It was the most amazing experience and something we will remember for the rest of our lives,’ she said.

Celebrant Robyn Holt who married Cathy and David at 34,000ft said: ‘It was a really special occasion and definitely the first time I’ve conducted a wedding in the air.

‘Being a part of Cathy and David’s day and celebrating their love and their passion for aviation was unforgettable. The passengers enjoyed being a part of it too. 

‘As an airline we love bringing people together and this was one of my most memorable wedding celebration.’

The newlyweds were greeted on-board by pilots and crew and enjoyed a special welcome when they landed in Auckland.

The Australian groom was all smiles as he donned a black tuxedo on board to wed his bride

Their love story comes after the couple met online playing an aviation computer game in 2011

Their love story comes after the couple met online playing a computer game called Airport City eight years ago.

‘Our love of aviation is what brought us together,’ Cathy said.  

‘We chatted for more than a year and then I got up the courage to call him for his birthday and sing him happy birthday. It just evolved from there. 

‘We first met in person in 2013 at Sydney airport when I took my first trip to Australia. We locked eyes and that was it.

‘I feel our lives really started when we met. We’ve done so much together since we met, it’s hard to picture life without him. We definitely love planes.’

Three years later on Halloween, the couple got engaged.

‘We went together on our first Dreamliner flight from Brisbane to Melbourne where David had planned to propose on board but he got too nervous with all the surrounding passengers. He eventually proposed that evening,’ Cathy said.

The couple are so obsessed with planes, they also have a rule: ‘We even have a rule that whoever sees the first commercial flight on any day doesn’t cook.’