Space wedding a first for Russia
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Ekaterina Dmitriev, right, stands next to a life-sized rendering of her husband-to-be, cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko.
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(CNN) -- The Russian space program has the distinction of being the first to send a man, a dog, a woman and a tourist into space.
And it looks like it will notch up another first later Sunday when a Russian will be the first man to be married in space.
The first space wedding will unite Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko, the 41-year old commander of the International Space Station, and his earth-bound bride, Ekaterina Dmitriev, some 240 vertical miles (380 km) away.
Mission control for the U.S. space program has set up a matrimonial hotline for the two to exchange vows.
Malenchenko has deputed an American lawyer to sign the marriage documents for him at the ceremony in Houston, the home of U.S. space mission control.
His wife-to-be is 26-years old and a U.S. citizen.
The bridegroom will reportedly wear a tuxedo for the cosmic ceremony.
