At a Glance
- Tina and Roger Simpson exchanged vows at 35,000 feet aboard Southwest flight WN 2561 on June 8, 2024
- Passenger Katrina Badowski posted a TikTok of the ceremony that has since earned about 10 million views
- Content creator Madison Humphrey teamed up with Southwest to recreate the wedding in a parody video that topped 7 million views in a day
Why it matters: The viral moment shows how a routine flight can become a lifelong memory, inspiring copycats and brand partnerships.
Tina and Roger Simpson turned an ordinary Southwest flight into their wedding chapel on June 8, 2024, after a quick legal ceremony in Indianapolis International Airport’s food court. Flight attendant Aimee Shaw told the 136 passengers on flight WN 2561 that they were all invited to the mid-air nuptials.
Passenger Katrina Badowski filmed the event and posted the compilation to TikTok this week, pushing the year-old ceremony back into the spotlight. The clip has about 10 million views and 1.6 million likes.
How the In-Flight Wedding Unfolded
- Shaw announced the event over the intercom, calling Southwest “the LUV airline” and declaring “love is in the air.”
- Tina walked down the aisle to One Direction’s “If I Could Fly” while passengers recorded on their phones.
- Officiant Laura Jones, a Southwest employee, declared the couple husband and wife “for the first time in the air.”
- Guests signed a makeshift guest book and joined a bouquet toss before deplaning.
Upon arrival in Fort Lauderdale, a crowd greeted the newlyweds with balloons, champagne, noisemakers and a “Just Married” airport buggy. Mars’ “Marry Me” played as the couple entered the terminal.
Tina tells News Of Los Angeles she was headed straight to a cruise honeymoon and had no idea the airline and passengers would go to such lengths. She recalls a passenger of 50-plus years volunteering to walk her down the aisle and the woman who caught the bouquet-later married herself-calling it divine intervention.
Behind the Scenes
Laura Jones, who has worked in aviation for 20 years, organized the surprise with Southwest’s blessing. She says the carrier’s Indianapolis and Fort Lauderdale teams “went all out” after learning the plan.
Shaw, on a layover in Trader Joe’s, bought a congratulatory card for the crew to sign once she got the heads-up from her supervisor. She tells News Of Los Angeles that while flight-attendant training doesn’t cover weddings, the company encourages improvisation.
Southwest required the couple to legalize the union on the ground first because of “logistics, timing and legality,” hence the quick courthouse-style service in the airport food court.
Viral Fame and a Parody Spin-Off
After Badowski’s video resurfaced, TikTok creator Madison Humphrey was tagged repeatedly. Known for spoofing viral weddings, the 26-year-old influencer already fake-marries her real husband Brayden in skits. Southwest flew the couple to its Dallas headquarters on January 14, 2025, and recreated every detail inside a grounded aircraft.
Humphrey’s parody copied the heart-shaped stir stick in her hair, streamers in the jet bridge and a toilet-paper wedding cake. Her video earned more than 7 million views in under 24 hours across TikTok and Instagram.
Southwest commented on TikTok, “It just wouldn’t have been the same without the plane! We LOVED having another onboard wedding.”
What the Airline Says
A Southwest spokesperson tells News Of Los Angeles, “As the LUV airline, we celebrate couples like this one who choose to tie the knot with us at 35,000 feet.”
The carrier encourages other couples interested in an onboard ceremony to reach out via social media.
Tina recommends the option for budget-minded pairs: “I think it would be a fantastic option for couples wanting to enjoy a lavish reception and spend less on the ceremony.”
Key Takeaways
- A legal wedding on the tarmac plus a ceremonial version at cruising altitude offers a memorable, low-cost alternative
- Southwest’s culture of improvisation turned 136 strangers into instant wedding guests
- A single TikTok post can reignite year-old events and spark brand collaborations millions will watch
