From The Straits Times    |

egypt1_0.jpgUS Couple Cheetah Platt (right), 30, and Rhiann Woodyard, 32, getting married in Egypt, with the pyramids serving as a spectacular backdrop. — ALL PHOTOS: CHEETAH PLATT/FACEBOOK

Why settle for a single boring venue for your dream wedding when you can have 38?

wedglobe1e.jpgMr Platt and Ms Woodyard in India

wedglobe8e.jpg
Mr Platt and Ms Woodyard at the Giraffe Center in Nairobi, Kenya.

US couple Cheetah Platt, 30, and Rhiann Woodyard, 32, are doing exactly that – by holding their nuptials an incredible 38 times in 12 countries over six continents.

And they are aiming to complete their globe-trotting journey in under 90 days, according to People.com, having already got hitched in Colombia, Spain, Ireland, Morocco, Egypt, Kenya, India, and more recently, Thailand.

chiangmai1.jpgThe couple kissing in front of the Dhara Dhevi Chiang Mai.

Their next destination? Sunny Singapore, the ninth country on their list. Mr Platt told The Straits Times that they will be arriving here “in a few days”. 

wedglobe5e.jpgThe couple doing a little jump in Kenya.

wedglobe6e.jpg
A black and white photo of the couple in Africa

The couple, who reside in California, reportedly hit upon the fancy idea after they could not decide on the perfect wedding and became frustrated over how expensive it was to hold a conventional ceremony.

wedglobe7e.jpgThe couple in Spain

“With our budget, we could afford an acceptable wedding, but not our perfect wedding,” Mr Platt, a professional aerialist, told People.com.

So they packed two backpacks – along with a white tuxedo and wedding dress that cost US$100 (S$138) each – and headed for Bogota in Colombia on Feb 8.

embark1.jpgMr Platt and Ms Woodyard posing next to a Ryanair plane.

Since then, Mr Platt and Ms Woodyard, who is also an aerialist, have been posting regular updates on Facebook, with photos showing the couple in some amazing poses against spectacular backdrops like the pyramids of Egypt.

NBC Southern California reported that they had been married – both are ordained online and can legally conduct ceremonies in which they marry each other – 21 times as of Saturday.

According to The Daily Mail, the pair have spent less than US$3,000 each so far. Mr Platt said that they have kept costs low by flying budget airlines, sticking to cheap hotels and rented apartments, and have set up an online fund where their friends and family can make donations.

Mr Platt’s last Facebook update at about noon (Singapore time) on Sunday revealed that the couple were in Chiang Mai and were preparing to set off on the next leg of their adventure.

After Singapore, they plan to go to Australia and Fiji before returning to California on April 18 to get married at Big Bear Lake, where their loved ones will be present. 

This article was first run in The Straits Times newspaper on March 22, 2015. For similar stories, go to http://www.straitstimes.com/premium/singapore. You will not be able to access the Premium section of The Straits Times website unless you are already a subscriber.