Yes, this really happened.

Back in 2001, an American couple made history when they wed in a submersible amidst the Titanic's wreckage. They won a contest held by a fledgling diving company and used one of the submersibles used during the filming of the 1997 Hollywood movie.

David Leibowitz and Kimberly Miller, both of New York, wore flame retardant suits and were forced to kneel inside the tiny deep sea vessel as they exchanged vows. The ceremony itself was conducted by Captain Ron Warwick from the operations room of the Russian research ship, Akademik Keldysh. After vows were exchanged, Warwick announced via hydrophone that they were now man and wife and could kiss.

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HOW IT CAME TOGETHER

Subsee Explorer was the company that organized the once-in-a-lifetime contest expedition. The company reportedly was flooded with over 28,000 entries from fellow Titanic enthusiasts. Back in 2001, the cost per person to visit the Titanic was $36,000.

NOT EVERYONE WAS ENAMORED WITH THE WEDDING

The couple faced their fair share of criticism for their costly wedding stunt. Many people considered it in poor taste and an insult to the 1,500-plus people who died on the legendary passenger liner. The wedding was denounced by the British Titanic Society as a tacky publicity stunt.

"We don't really view this as a gravesite. Still if you were to be married at a church, you'd have to treat that with reverence because you'd be near a graveyard, too." -David Leibowitz

The recent events with the missing Titan submersible has certainly highlighted the inherent dangers in attempting a Titanic visit... but still, if you had the chance to do what this New York couple did in 2001... would you?

7 Upstate New York Passengers Who Were On The Titanic

The sinking of the Titanic is considered one of the most famous ship disasters of all time. On board the ship, did you know some passengers were Upstate New York natives?

Exploring the Titanic

Scuba Diving To These Brilliant Shipwrecks In The St Lawrence River- Thousand Islands

Have you ever wanted to scuba dive shipwrecks in the St. Lawrence River? Here's a few to check out in the Thousand Islands of the New York and Canadian border.

Scuba divers allegedly call the 1000 Islands the “Caribbean of the North” due to all the amazing places to check out. The Saint Lawrence River has been the main shipping route between the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean for centuries. That means you're able to see that history in the ships that line the bottom. According to South Eastern Ontario, divers can generally see 50 to 60 feet in front them most of the year, and 60 to 100 feet in the fall time.

From wooden schooners to War of 1812 battleships to modern-day freighters, over 200 vessels met their fate here."

There are all sorts of local businesses and more that can help train you, or charter you, on these dives if you're interested. You can read more here.

Here's a list of some of the coolest dives to check out:

Source: In 2001 an NY Couple Dared to Wed on Titanic’s Deck in a Submersible

Categories: Articles, TSM