Would you get married on the subway? Me neither. But Hector Irakliotis and Tatyana Sandler thought the idea romantic, and did exactly that on Friday. They decided to marry on the N train because they’ve spent so much time on it traveling together or to each other’s Brooklyn apartments, according to the Daily News.
Sure, it seems weird at first glance. But look at the upside. They got their wedding pictures in the paper. They didn’t have to rent a hall or worry about seating arrangements. And the wedding cost them a total of $5!
Subway weddings could be the solution for a lot of people, including us riders. The MTA recently announced plans for yet another fare hike. A possible 25-cent raise per ride might not seem like much, but for low-wage workers spending 5 percent or more of their weekly salaries just to get to and from work, it’s a backbreaker. By thinking outside the fare box and raising money in creative ways, the MTA might be able to avoid this increase.
Holding weddings on spiffed-up subway cars could be a good start. The possibilities are endless. Instead of having cops chase those intrusive “showtime” dancers from the trains, the performers could be hired as entertainment, along with some of the great underground subway singers.
Or perhaps a more prosperous couple might spring for a band of its choosing. Train, with its hit song “Marry Me,” would be a natural. It would be a win-win-win for the happy couple, the MTA and subway riders saved yet another fare boost.
But why stop at weddings? Imagine retirement or going-away office parties on the subway. You could rent a subway car, celebrate on board, then wave goodbye to your departing employee right at his or her stop!
While getting married on the subway might be your recurring nightmare, it was this couple’s dream.
“I’m originally from Ukraine,” Tatyana told the News, “and each time we’d come back here, I’d say to Hector, ‘It doesn’t feel like home until I see the skyline as we’re crossing the bridge.’ And he remembered that. He planned it specifically so that we’d see the skyline as we were married.”
Stand clear of the flying rice!
Playwright Mike Vogel blogs at newyorkgritty.net.
