brides
May 1, 2024
Minutes To Read: 3

Have you ever considered getting married on Mount Everest? Meet the couple who did it

If you are not married yet and have plans to do so sometime in your life, chances are you have an idea of how you would like to perform the ceremony.

Getting married in the church is a very strong tradition, but more and more brides and grooms have been innovating in choosing the place of celebration. Country weddings, for example, can be very charming, as can a mini wedding in a bistro.

Maybe you dream of something quite luxurious, with bandwidth, neat decor and the best buffet ever served at a party. Or you may be romantic in style and dream of getting married in the Disney park.

We are free to dream, but it must be admitted that it will be difficult to hold a marriage at higher levels than this couple, who sealed their marriage at one of Mount Everest base camps in March this year. And a detail: they were the first to get married on site wearing a suit and wedding dress.

Wedding in the highest

James Sissom, 35, and Ashley Schmieder, 32, both from California, USA, didn't like the idea of having a traditional wedding very much. "As much as we'd love to share this special day with our family and friends, we were both fond of the idea of getting married in secret during an incredible trip," Ashley told the Daily Mail website.

Read also: Learn what each sign's dream wedding looks like

To put the plan into practice, the two had to spend three weeks trekking trails to reach Mount Everest South Base Camp, which is located in Nepal at an altitude of over 5.3 kilometers. The campground is used by climbers who need to acclimate or wait for safer weather conditions before the journey to the top.

Not everything was that simple

The lovebirds expedition James and Ashley was narrated by photographer Charleton Churchill, who documented the event on his blog. He said that since 2011 he had been dreaming of photographing a "real" wedding with character-dressed grooms at Mount Everest base camp? and James and Ashley were the first couple to accomplish this feat.

But not everything was so simple. “According to our local guide, more snow has fallen on our heads than all winter. Temperatures ranged from -22 to -12 oC, so our hands would freeze quickly if we were without gloves, for example when I was trying to film and take pictures? Reported the photographer on his blog.

In addition to the difficulty of low temperatures, the couple faced another serious problem. At a stopping point prior to base camp, James developed the "Khumbu cough". Due to cold and low humidity, this lung irritation causes severe shortness of breath and coughing spells so strong that they can tear the chest muscles or break ribs.

The groom was so weak that he had to spend the night with an oxygen tank. The next morning James felt a little better, and the guide mentioned that the couple and the photographer could go up to base camp carrying the oxygen tank and photographic equipment, returning to the helicopter stopping point.

Read also: Disney Wedding: Learn How to Have a Real-Life Fairy Tale

Marrying against time

When the trio arrived at base camp, they received the news that they had only 90 minutes to eat, get married, take photos, pack their things again and take the helicopter back. The couple decided to take advantage of the time available and exchanged their marriage vows in front of Mount Everest's most famous frozen fall.

As Ashley wore a conventional wedding dress, it was necessary to keep her warm with soups, hot drinks and constant movement, so that her body would not start to freeze.

However, since everything that happens on Mount Everest obeys the will of the mountain and not anyone else's, the weather conditions had worsened, which prevented the helicopter from arriving in time. As a result, the couple and the photographer had to spend the night at base camp, staying there until the next day in the morning.

Despite the difficulties, did James and Ashley achieve their dream of getting married in an unusual place? and the photographer got beautiful portraits of that moment. Check out:

The couple spent 3 weeks hiking to reach the ceremony site.

But the effort was worth it

The groom getting ready, still at the stopping point before base camp

The bride getting a helping hand from local guides to fix her dress

The first time James saw Ashley dressed as a bride

Some brides arrive by limousine. Ashley went by helicopter and took her fiance along

The couple dressed in traditional fashion even though they were on Mount Everest

Except for one small detail

Upstairs, Ashley and James exchanged their wedding rings.

And we hope they are happy forever!

Did you enjoy this wedding completely out of the traditional? Although the trend of exclusive marriages is getting stronger every day, there are still many brides who dream of getting married in the church in the most classic way possible. What matters, after all, is that the ceremony has the face of the bride and groom and is full of love, right?

Read also: Marriage, a world of traditions: see the customs of other countries