ORLANDO, FL--(Marketwire - June 20, 2009) - Zero Gravity Corporation (
ZERO-G®), the first and only
FAA-approved provider of commercial weightless flights, hosted the world's
first-ever weightless wedding on Saturday, June 20. Noah Fulmor and Erin
Finnegan said their "I Dos" while flipping and floating mid-air among their
closest family and friends. While flying high above the clouds in Florida,
the New-York-City-based couple exchanged vows while making history -- as
they became the first bride and groom to be married in zero gravity!
Richard Garriott, the sixth private explorer in history to go to space and
the first second-generation U.S. astronaut, officiated the weightless
ceremony. G-FORCE ONE, ZERO-G's specially modified Boeing 727-200 aircraft,
departed from the Titusville Airport near Orlando, FL for the milestone
occasion.
"I am honored to be taking part in Erin and Noah's wedding. I know
firsthand the added thrill microgravity will play in their already joyous
event," said Garriott. "The excitement from these 'first ever microgravity
nuptials' will not soon fade in the minds of all the members of the wedding
party."
During the weightless ceremony, Fulmor and Finnegan along with their entire
wedding party flew like Superman and flipped like an Olympic gymnast as
Garriott united the two as man and wife. Each ZERO-G mission is designed
for maximum fun and these nuptials were no exception. Over the span of
nearly eight minutes, the vows and rings were exchanged in a microgravity
environment.
Fulmor and Finnegan have been together since 2002, but even before they
met, they shared a dream of space travel. As children, both wanted to be
astronauts: Erin attended space camp in Michigan, while Noah volunteered at
his local planetarium. Although they are currently living relatively
earth-bound lives, the idea of space came up again following their
engagement in 2008. "When we started talking about marriage, Noah joked
that we should have our wedding 'in space,'" Erin said. "Although most
girls would take this to mean Noah didn't want to get married, I knew he
was sincere, and that this was a serious request." And so, the couple
turned to ZERO-G for the next best thing: the experience offered by ZERO-G
is the only commercial opportunity on Earth for individuals to experience
true "weightlessness" without going to space.
The aircraft's interior is a zero-gravity playroom, complete with padded
floors and walls and video cameras to record the unforgettable moments.
When experiencing zero gravity, Fulmor, Finnegan and their guests enjoyed
10-times more hang-time than the world's best basketball player. It's not
simulated; ZERO-G replicates the same levels of weightlessness enjoyed on
Mars (1/3-gravity), the moon (1/6-gravity), and zero gravity. It's an
experience unlike any other.
The couple plan to re-broadcast the ceremony on their Web site,
http://www.zerogravitywedding.com.
About ZERO-G
Zero Gravity Corporation is a privately held space entertainment and
tourism company whose mission is to make the excitement and adventure of
weightlessness accessible to the public. ZERO-G is the first and only
FAA-approved provider of weightless flight to the general public, as well
as the entertainment and film industries; corporate and incentive market;
non-profit research and education sectors; and government.
For more information about ZERO-G, booking and reservations, visit
www.gozerog.com. ZERO-G will be traveling around the country, hosting its
exclusive weightless flight experience in the following cities:
-- July 11 - San Jose, CA
-- July 18 - Las Vegas, NV
-- September 19 - Las Vegas, NV
-- October 3 - Washington, D.C.
Contact Information: For More Information:
Tom Dietz
Kirvin Doak Communications
702-737-3100