A couple decided to get married in a hot air balloon and then sky dive back to earth to celebrate their wedding day.

Patrick Russell and Melanie Ilemsky, who first met at a skydive drop zone in New York, decided that the only way they wanted to tie the knot was if they could celebrate their love of the adrenaline-seeking sport. 

Even though it meant only ten people could be present to watch the event.

The 38 and 36-year-old couple had known each other for two years before they got married on their one year anniversary, 11 July, in Pennsylvania.

“We got married on our anniversary…it took a couple of months to plan,” explained Ilemsky, who wore a $20 from Amazon and had to have it specially adapted to incorporate her skydiving safety rig.

“The dress was so short that I had to wear a pair of shorts beneath it. It wasn’t a dress I would choose for a regular ceremony.”

Describing the ceremony, which was carried out by Ilemsky’s mother, Tetiana Cymbal, who is ordained but had never been in a hot air balloon before, they said they took a “big risk”. 

“We realised we should have rehearsed it, because our adrenaline was pumping. We couldn’t remember a single line.”

Russell, who is originally from County Cork, Ireland, said: “We knew we didn’t want a very big wedding, we just wanted an intimate one with a few family and friends.”

After they exchanged rings, Melanie’s brother Andrew Cymbal, 21, performed a song on guitar, Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol.

They did have a plan B in place, in case the weather was bad on the morning of the wedding. “We were really struggling with how to do something non-traditional on the ground,” said Ilemsky.

“We were thinking about getting married in a cave in Cragsmoor, in New York. It was one of the hikes we went on when we were falling in love.”

The couple plan to have a honeymoon later in the year, when the weather gets colder in New York.