The Ultimate Guide to the Most Memorable Star Trek Wedding Episodes

WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for "Charades," episode 5 of season 2 of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. The pre-wedding ceremony involving Lt. Spock (Ethan Peck) and T'Pring (Gia Sandhu) in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds represents one of the best Star Trek episodes centered around weddings or wedding rituals. While iconic USS Enterprise Captains Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and James T. Kirk (William Shatner) never tied the knot themselves, they have officiated wedding ceremonies for their crew members. Since the earliest days of seafaring, captains have had the privilege of overseeing weddings, although marrying aboard a Starfleet vessel often comes with the added dangers of life-threatening situations alongside the usual domestic conflicts.

Star Trek not only focuses on the marriages of Starfleet officers, but also delves into the wedding customs of other species within its expansive fictional universe, often injecting relatable humor into the proceedings. The encounter between Spock's mother, Amanda Grayson (Mia Kirshner), and T'Pring's parents, T'Pril (Ellora Patnaik) and Sevet (Michael Benyaer), brings about an incredibly relatable awkwardness. True to Star Trek's nature, these wedding-themed episodes offer an opportunity to explore real-world themes of gender roles and politics, while also allowing the characters to let loose and have some fun.

10 Star Trek: DS9 - "The Muse"

9 Star Trek: Enterprise - "Home"

Odo and Lwaxana Troi's wedding in "The Muse" episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine provides a much-needed diversion from a lackluster storyline involving a mysterious alien female assisting Jake Sisko in writing a novel. Their marriage, although not genuine, serves the purpose of safeguarding Troi and her unborn son. Remaining with her current husband, Jeyal, would result in her child being raised solely by men as per tradition. Displaying bravery, Odo challenges the marriage and ties the knot with Lwaxana, allowing her to personally raise her newborn. In line with the classic Star Trek theme of exploring alien customs, this tale sparks introspection on outdated gender roles.

In the world of Star Trek: Enterprise, before the beloved duo of Spock and Chapel, there existed the captivating connection between Commander Trip Tucker (played by Connor Trinneer) and Sub Commander T'Pol (played by Jolene Blalock). An episode titled "Home" took us on a journey where Tucker, despite harboring deep feelings for T'Pol, attended her wedding to her intended, Koss (portrayed by Michael Reilly Burke). Tucker's act of selflessness, steadfastly standing by T'Pol's side even as she chose to marry someone else, succeeded in impressing T'Pol's mother. It became evident to her that Trip genuinely loved her daughter. Rather than crafting a typical happily-ever-after ending for Trip and T'Pol, Enterprise's wedding-centric episode added layers of complexity and narrative intricacies to their blossoming relationship.

8 Star Trek: DS9 - "The House of Quark"

Only Quark (Armin Shimerman) found himself entangled in a Klingon marriage deception, all thanks to his incessant chatter. After a Klingon Warrior met his demise at Quark's Bar, the cunning Ferengi bartender shamelessly claimed responsibility for the killing. Little did he know, this audacious move would lead to his own abduction by the vengeful widow, Grilka (Mary Kay Adams). She coerced Quark into marrying her, enabling her to maintain control over her prestigious House. Aptly named "The House of Quark," this brilliant Star Trek: Deep Space Nine comedy episode cleverly unites two of the most male-dominated species in the Trek universe - the Ferengi and the Klingons - offering astute commentary on gender inequality.

7 Star Trek: VOY - "Course: Oblivion"

One of the most bleak episodes of Star Trek: Voyager is "Course: Oblivion". What makes it particularly disheartening is its initially joyous start. Lieutenant Tom Paris (played by Robert Duncan McNeill) and Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres (played by Roxann Dawson) finally tie the knot, with Captain Kathryn Janeway (played by Kate Mulgrew) officiating the ceremony, following the same tradition as Kirk and Picard. However, there is a sinister twist when it is revealed that something is terribly wrong with B'Elanna. She is suffering from acute cellular degradation, which means she is dying. This grim situation unfolds just as the newlywed couple is about to embark on their Holodeck honeymoon. As the story progresses, it is revealed that the Voyager crew encountered here are not the real crew at all, but rather deteriorating biomimetic duplicates that were first introduced in the season 4 episode "Demon".

6 Star Trek: SNW - "Charades"

"Charades" essentially brings an end to the engagement between Spock and T'pring, but it remains a timeless Star Trek comedy centered around marriage traditions. This particular episode unfolds like a sitcom, as Spock navigates the complexities of a Vulcan pre-wedding ritual while concealing his newfound sense of humanity. Amidst Vulcan mind melds and encounters with interdimensional beings, the wedding-themed humor in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds emphasizes the universal challenge of impressing one's in-laws. "Charades" effectively carries on the remarkable tradition of Star Trek episodes that employ science fiction elements to delve into relatable experiences, ensuring a captivating viewing experience for audiences at home.

5 Star Trek: TOS - "Balance of Terror"

"Balance of Terror" may not be the obvious choice for a wedding episode, considering its introduction of the Romulans in Star Trek. Nevertheless, the Romulan assault on Earth Outpost 4 interrupts the wedding ceremony of Lt. Angela Martine (Barbara Baldavin) and Lt. Robert Tomlinson (Stephen Mines), abruptly ending their life together. This particular episode exemplifies the recurring challenge faced by love stories in Star Trek - the constant presence of life or death situations for Starfleet officers.

4 Star Trek: DS9 - "Til Death Do Us Part"

Captain Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) defied the Prophets' troubling visions and married Kassidy Yates (Penny Johnson Jerald) amidst the tumultuous Dominion War. Despite their foretelling of impending sadness, Sisko chose to proceed with the union. This act symbolizes the profound essence of marriage, where both partners acknowledge that they will eventually be separated by death. Being a widower, Sisko is already cognizant of this inevitable separation and acknowledges that a life shared with Kassidy is worth enduring the anguish of losing her in the finale of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

3 Star Trek: TOS - "Amok Time"

The T'Pring episodes in "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" lead up to the iconic TOS episode "Amok Time", which unveils the harshness of Vulcan wedding rituals. Spock returns to Vulcan to either marry T'Pring or accept his doom. However, his wedding is challenged by T'Pring herself, who selects Kirk as her champion. In a peculiar Vulcan wedding tradition, Kirk and Spock engage in a fight to the death, which seems oddly barbaric for an emotionless species. This captivating episode sheds light on the reasons behind the Vulcans' strong inclination towards secrecy when it comes to their customs and traditions regarding marriage and procreation.

2 Star Trek: TNG - "Data's Day"

The wedding of Chief Miles O'Brien and Keiko Ishikawa offered Lt. Commander Data an opportunity to observe the traditions of Human marriage. The unique perspective of an android witnessing a traditional Human wedding adds an exciting twist to the Star Trek storyline, resulting in moments of genuine comedy. Data's inadvertently jeopardizing the wedding in his attempt to make Keiko happy adds both amusement and tension. Furthermore, Data's dance lessons with Star Trek's dancing Doctor, Beverly Crusher, provide a delightful science fiction twist on the anxieties surrounding the traditional wedding dance. The culmination of these events with the joyful union of one of Star Trek's most enduring couples makes "Data's Day" even more enjoyable.

1 Star Trek: DS9 - "You Are Cordially Invited"

The nuptials of Lt. Commander Worf (Michael Dorn) and Lt. Jadzia Dax (Terry Farrell) take place amidst the chaos of the Dominion War, after the Federation regains control of DS9 in season 6 of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Though their union ultimately ends tragically in Jadzia's demise, the crew of DS9 comes together to witness this cherished moment. This episode offers a delightful blend of humor, showcasing a Klingon bachelor party and the clashes between Dax and her formidable mother-in-law, Sirella (Shannon Cochran) of the House of Martok. With its unique fusion of wedding rituals and Klingon tradition, this Star Trek wedding episode is an unforgettable experience.