A couple from Victoria who love Star Trek agreed Vulcan would be the “most logical place to have a wedding.”

Newlyweds Ralph and Liz (born Lowe) Busch spoke with media at the Trekcetera Museum on Saturday, Jan. 17 following a private ceremony. The day was chosen specifically because of the Starship Enterprise’s designation number, 1701.

Ralph said it was originally his mother’s suggestion to get married in Vulcan.

Although she’s not a Trek fan, “she knows that I’ve been a Star Trek fan all my life,” he said. “When she heard that we were going to get married, she said, ‘Oh, you’ve got to get married in Vulcan!’”

Ralph thought that was a good idea, and Liz agreed.

“So we decided Vulcan would be the most logical place to have a wedding,” said Ralph.

He wore a white uniform based on a design from the set of Star Trek Nemesis.

“The whole crew was wearing this to celebrate the wedding of Deanna Troy and (William) Riker,” Trek characters played by Marina Sirtis and Jonathan Frakes respectively, said Ralph.

Liz, who also wore white, considered basing the design of her dress on the one worn by Sirtis.

“To be honest, it was a pink awful thing, so I went more traditional for the wedding dress,” she said.

At one point during the private ceremony, the Star Wars fanfare could be heard playing behind closed doors. When asked why the Trek-themed wedding featured a song from Star Wars, the couple said it was a friendly joke for their family, who aren’t as familiar with the differences between the two universes and have occasionally combined Star Trek’s famous Vulcan salute with Star Wars’ famous expression, “May the Force be with you.”

The couple met at a science fiction and fantasy convention in Vancouver.

While they share a passion for Star Trek, it wasn’t the only common interest that drew them together, said Liz.

But it certainly played a major role in their decision to get married in the Star Trek capital of Canada.

“I couldn’t think of a better place to do it,” said Ralph. “I love the venue, this is a great place.”

Both agreed that other couples who are fans of Star Trek should think about exchanging their vows in Vulcan.

“We did something that we wanted to do that was important to us,” said Ralph on their decision to wed in Vulcan.

He first heard about this little Prairie town more than 20 years ago, when the Trek theme was still in its infancy. But he had come to visit on a Sunday, when everything was closed. It would be many more years before Ralph got a chance to visit Vulcan more in depth.

Ralph and Liz visited Vulcan this past Labour Day long weekend, and the couple got a chance to check out the sites. Chances are it’s just a matter of time before they beam back to town.

“I don’t see any reason why we wouldn’t come here and visit,” said Ralph. “Especially on a celebration like Spock Days, that would be awesome.”