Couple Marries Remotely Over Skype
A Skype wedding makes marriage possible for long distance lovers.
Sometimes it's bleak, sometimes it's convenient, but the fact is, face-to-face contact is no longer necessary for many of life's interactions. Many things can now be accomplished remotely: work, friendships, meetings, and yes, even weddings.A young accountant working in Dubai was tired of postponing his wedding. His fiancé lived thousands of miles away, in his native city of Alexandria, Egypt. Eventually, the couple decided distance shouldn't keep them from tying the knot, so they invited friends and family to watch them exchange their vows—via Skype.
Last year, 30 year-old Mahmoud Mohammed Abdul Hafez was living in Egypt with his fiancé, Somaia, and the two were planning an upcoming wedding. But in April, Mahmoud lost his job (see a photo of the newlyweds here).
"We got engaged in February 2011 and our plan was to wed by the end of the year," Mahmoud told the 7Days newspaper. "When I lost my job, everything changed."
Luckily, Mahmoud found a new job. The only problem? It was in Dubai, thousands of miles away from his bride-to-be.
“When I got my job, the first thing on my mind was to get the wedding done and silence all the critics. I didn’t want to delay it because my fiancé was getting worried, too," Mahmoud said.
But being a new employee, Mahmoud was reluctant to ask for time off, likely traumatized by his last termination.
“I wanted my job but I didn’t want to lose my fiancé, so the only available option was to have the wedding conducted without physically being there."
So he decided to walk down the virtual aisle. Mahmoud invited some friends over to his Dubai apartment, where they gathered in front of his laptop webcam. Meanwhile, Somaia was joined by the couple's parents on the other end, in Alexandria. They arranged for the appropriate authorizations, and Mahmoud's father represented him to sign the papers as a witness.
The two then exchanged their vows and became husband and wife, all completely remotely.
"I am now happily married," Mahmoud told the newspaper.
Wedded bliss may have started out on a webcam for these two, but they do have face-to-face plans in the coming months. The newlyweds plan to throw a big wedding bash in Alexandria when Mahmoud takes his annual leave at the end of the year.
Photo: Courtesy of 7Days
More on love & sex from MSN Living:
24 Secrets of Successful Daters
How to Get Busy When You're Busy
Sweet, Fun and Cheap Date Ideas
love: friendship, dating, sex & marriage
-
Marriage proposals gone wrong
What's worse than getting snubbed while proposing? Having your heart broken in front of countless strangers.
-
5 people who might try to ruin your wedding
We asked brides on TheKnot.com to tell all -- and they did. Here, five of the most likely culprits and advice for how to deal with your drama-causing guests along the way.
-
The best ways to flirt
This short course in flirting will not only teach you how to flirt better but also how to tell when someone is flirting with you—and how to respond. Have fun.
-
10 'Great Gatsby'-inspired wedding details
Gatsby glamour doesn’t have to just live on the big screen! Embrace the trendy (yet timeless) art deco style with sequins, pearls, feathers and geometric patterns. Check out these art deco ideas and achieve the feel of 1920s decadence. By the way, all of these are affordable, except for the $600 hairpiece which is a splurge, but a knockout. Shop the look!
-
Summer love: Is it a fling or the real thing?
Wondering if your summer love will last? Here are 15 signs if your seasonal love is fleeting or for real.
-
The most memorable star-crossed movie couples
Sixteen years after "Titanic’s" release—and 101 years after the historic ship’s notorious sinking—our hearts still go on for star-crossed lovers Rose DeWitt Bukater (Kate Winslet) and Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio). We rounded up some of our favorite ill-fated, but oh-so-romantic affairs on film, from "Gone with the Wind" to "Moulin Rouge!".
-
How to flirt with your husband
Flirting shouldn't be retired once you've got the ring. We asked relationship expert Harlan Cohen, as well as real husbands, the best way to keep the sparks flying.
-
Your man questions, manswered
When we're annoyed by male behavior, we turn to columnist Aaron Traister. His logic may be strange, but we have to admit, it's pretty helpful. Here, he answers our many questions for guys.
-
7 ways to jump-start your sex drive
Author Amanda Robb talks to clinical psychologist David Schnarch, Ph.D., author of Passionate Marriage: Keeping Love and Intimacy Alive in Committed Relationships and Intimacy and Desire: Awaken the Passion in Your Relationship, to discover the ways she can relight the fire in her own relationship. What she learned just might help you wake up your own libido.
-
Most expensive weddings of all time
The average wedding costs $28,000. Think that's pricey? You're in for a surprise. We've rounded up some of the most expensive weddings of all time. See if you can guess how much was dropped on these over-the-top affairs, then click through to Bing to see if you're right.
-
Sorry, we are not breaking up!
A guide to staying together forever…straight from divorce lawyers! They know what tears couples apart, and they’ll tell you how to avoid it.
-
Weirdest reasons people have divorced
We've come across some odd tales of lost love. Here's our list of the weirdest reasons people have divorced.
