A Maltese captain and his stewardess fiancee made international headlines when they celebrated their marriage by chartering a plane and flying hearts in the sky around the Mediterranean.

But it was the one-time transformation of Malta International Airport into a beautiful wedding venue that really surprised Captain Charles Borg Giuliano and his cabin crew fiancee Julia Lynne Saliba. 

The airport first served as the setting for the wedding ceremony where the couple said their vows before they jetted off with friends and family onto a chartered Air Malta flight around the Mediterranean.

The flight, named KM14JC, caught the attention of aviation enthusiasts after its fly path formed two giant hearts on the air traffic tracking site flightradar24.com.

On arrival, the newlyweds were treated to a wedding reception at Malta International Airport, which provided a romantic terrace setting filled with flowers, candles and lots of champagne to mark the special occasion. Music was also provided by popular local band Red Electrick.

“This couple clearly loves flying as much as we do, so we couldn’t resist making their special day as memorable as possible,” said MIA Marketing and Brand Development Manager Kristina Vassallo.