Destination weddings are out, and virtual weddings are in.
Rather than traveling to the Amalfi Coast or Provence, Wired recently interviewed a couple who chose to host their nuptials in the place they first met and fell in love: Minecraft.
Sarah Nguyen, 24, from Portland, Oregon, and Jamie Patel, 25, from Leicester, England, met at 13 years old on a Minecraft role-play server. “It’s the closest thing we have to a shared home,” Nguyen told Wired.
Most of their relationship was long-distance, lived out in the virtual world (the couple now resides together in Portland). Even Patel’s proposal took place atop a scenic mountain in Minecraft, delivered via in-game dialog.
Nguyen and Patel aren’t alone. Wired reported that more couples are choosing digital ceremonies hosted in the virtual spaces where their relationships first blossomed.
The pandemic marked a turning point for the wedding-industrial complex. With many weddings postponed or canceled, frustrated couples turned to the only option left—online. Digital ceremonies became a lifeline for those unable to host in-person gatherings due to restrictions. Others fully embraced the virtual, including a 2020 Animal Crossing wedding and metaverse nuptials in 2021.
Now, even without restrictions, the demand for digital nuptials hasn’t slowed. In fact, an entire cottage industry has emerged to meet it. Companies like Wedfuly offer virtual wedding services starting at $800, which includes equipment and a remote production team for the day of. Even traditional event planning firms are introducing digital packages.
The appeal is clear—especially as the national average cost of a wedding in the U.S. hits $33,000, according to The Knot. The global wedding industry is valued at $899.64 billion, and the average cost for a guest to attend a U.S. wedding is $610, according to Bankrate.
Virtual weddings, on the other hand, let friends and family attend from the comfort of their homes. Nguyen and Patel’s celebration cost just $300 (including custom skins, server hosting, and a designer to script NPCs and quests) and welcomed 50 guests from eight different countries.
Wired also spoke with Jessica Hu, an ordained officiant and “digital celebrant” based in Chicago. Hu specializes in ceremonies across Twitch, Discord, and VRChat, and has officiated more than 40 weddings in online spaces since launching her services in 2020.
“It’s easy to dismiss it as novelty,” Hu says. “But these weddings are deeply sacred. I’ve had couples exchange vows using emoji reactions. I’ve had Discord bots cue the processional music. I’ve seen Twitch chats cry in real time.”
Cue the heart-eyes and crying emojis.
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