Jim Grant, William Shatner and Amy Wells Grant at Star Trek set museum in Ticonderoga, New York. Courtesy of Jim Grant
When Brunswick residents Jim Grant and Amy Wells stepped into the next frontier of their lives by getting married earlier this month, they did so with an in-person blessing from Capt. Kirk himself, William Shatner.
“I’ve been a lifelong Star Trek fan,” said Grant, who serves as the vice-chair of the Region 10 school board. “For me, it was my bible. There are morality tales in Star Trek that you can learn to live your life by, and so I’ve tried to emulate some of those finer points.”
In addition to his most famous role as Star Trek’s Capt. James T. Kirk, Shatner is known for other roles in productions like “Rescue 911,” “T.J. Hooker,” “Boston Legal” and “The Twilight Zone.” He is also a recording artist, author, screenwriter and director.
In October, the 90-year-old celeb made headlines after becoming the oldest person to ever reach the final frontier when he flew on an 11-minute suborbital space flight aboard a Blue Origin capsule.
With around 150 people in attendance, Grant’s wedding took place about two weeks ago at a hotel in Ticonderoga, New York — the home of a Star Trek history museum.
Positioned behind an altar that served as a prop on the original Star Trek set, Shatner delivered some opening remarks, and then recited his original lines from a 55-year-old wedding ceremony scene featured in the episode “Star Trek: The Balance of Terror.”
“Since the days of the first wooden vessels, all shipmasters have had one happy privilege, and that is uniting two people in the bonds of matrimony,” said Shatner, reading from the script. “And so, we are gathered here today with you, James, and you, Amy, in a sight of your fellows, in accordance with our laws and our many beliefs so that you may pledge your love to one another. Please kiss the bride.”
William Shatner speaking at Jim and Amy’s wedding. The altar was originally a prop from the Star Trek set. Courtesy of Jim Grant
Grant met Shatner in 2017 during an event at the museum in Ticonderoga. In 2020, the Brunswick couple — both who are longtime fans — reconnected with Shatner in an online meet and greet while quarantining amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
While Wells and Grant were together for around 10 years prior to the wedding, Grant said officially tying the knot was put on the sidelines due to a personal health issue. During the video call, Shatner inquired about when Grant and Wells will be getting married.
“Jokingly I said: ‘Well I told my friends I’ll get married when William Shatner is at my wedding.’ And he said: ‘Well, let’s do it,’” Grant recalled. “He wanted to promote a message of love between people. You know, love as in a marriage, love as in friendship, just loving each other as human beings and to perpetuate that message.”
The museum and tour company in Ticonderoga is called “Star Trek: Original Series Set Tour,” and according to the website, the collection draws fans from around the world. Exhibits include recreations of what remains from sets of the original Star Trek television show, which was canceled in 1969.
Amy Wells Grant, William Shatner and Jim Grant at the wedding ceremony in upstate New York. Courtesy of Jim Grant
Reflecting on the many takeaways from the award-winning Star Trek series, Grant said that one major theme cementing him as lifelong fan aligns with the message of The Golden Rule.
“I think that the general themes that they try to hit is that regardless of our differences, we all deserve respect, and you should care about anyone, whether they’re a close friend or a stranger,” said Grant. “To go out of his way to do that for us, you know, people that he briefly met online, just kind of shows what kind of guy he is.”
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.