ANTHONY SWIDORSKY AND KATE SHEMAK ON THE DUQUESNE INCLINE | PHOTO BY BRITTANY SMELTZER

A North Versailles couple took their love to new heights when, earlier this year, they got married on the Duquesne Incline — 400 feet above ground.

Kate Shemak and Anthony Swidorsky exchanged their marriage vows overlooking the picturesque Pittsburgh skyline in an incline car on Jan. 25, 2025.

Such nuptials are rare. They were told by the incline attendant that theirs was the first on an incline ride in recent memory.

The incline’s 18-person cars are first-come, first-served, so the bridal party had to get crafty. Shemak called ahead and learned that the couple could not reserve a private car.

Instead of changing the venue, the couple decided to “wing it” and invite their guests to meet them at the Duquesne Incline station on Grandview Avenue on Mount Washington.

“We’re all going to show up, our immediate 18 family members, and we’re going to go with it,” Shemak recalls. “I had the exact amount of money, and we were just gonna go, and if we waited with everybody else, we were gonna wait.”

On the day of the wedding, the incline had a few dozen patrons already in line, so the bridal party waited their turn.

ANTHONY SWIDORSKY AND KATE SHEMAK JUST BEFORE THEY GOT MARRIED ON THE DUQUESNE INCLINE IN JANUARY | PHOTO BY BRITTANY SMELTZER

The bride and groom came dressed for the occasion, and when an attendant asked them if they had just gotten married, the bride responded with, “No, we’re going to do it in the car.”

Unbeknownst to the couple, the attendant announced the ceremony to the station below, and upon arrival, the wedding party was greeted with cheers.

Both Anthony and Kate grew up in Pittsburgh and had been together for 3½ years. Even though they were natives, neither had ever ridden the incline before, so that was part of the reason they thought it would be a perfect way to celebrate their connection. The working couple also noted the benefits of a more economical wedding. Kate works as a nurse, and Anthony works for the Center for Organ Recovery and Education.

“Truth be told, we’re two working people, and honestly, a $20,000 or $30,000 wedding just wasn’t in the cards,” Shemak says. “So, we were laying there one day, and I came up with the idea, ‘Why don’t we just get married on the incline?’ ”

While the 52-second ceremony may seem spontaneous, the couple had a plan from the start. Weeks before the wedding, they did a trial run to determine logistics. The bride timed the ride and asked her brother to be the officiant.

While Incline weddings are a rarity, Shemak recommends her experience to brides looking for a nontraditional wedding.

“If anybody is looking for a short, very quick, intimate gathering that is very price-efficient, I’d absolutely recommend it,” she says.