"The Wedding Bells" on Fox - As Much Fun as a Las Vegas Chapel
By Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway
I love the newest wedding show to come to the small screen, The Wedding Bells. Even though the show paints every bride as a wacky, stressed out, neurotic, bridezilla or troubled in some way ... and even though the grooms are cheaters or seem quite gay ... and even though the marriages are not made in heaven, it is such fun to watch.
It breathes life into Friday night TV, especially for all us old married folks with kids! But to-be-weds will also find some comical relief in this cute show.
It is about three sisters -- portrayed by Meet the Fockers Teri Polo, Sarah Jones and KaDee Strickland as the Bell sisters -- who inherited a venue called The Wedding Palace after their parents divorced. They go on to become wedding planners, bridal baby-sitters and wedding-fire-putter-outters.
The soap opera story line between the siblings is fun enough. There is interplay between Jane (Teri Polo), her dull hubby (Benjamin King), who schedule sex on their calendars, and the sexy chef (Costas Mandylor) who is always trying to get uptight Jane to taste what he's 'a cooking in the kitchen, as well as encouraging her to have an affair -- if not with him, with someone!
One sister, Annie Bell, is trying to fight her hots for her ex-lover, who is the official photographer -- and also the bridal shrink who gets called in on every melt down before the ceremony. The other sister, Sammy Bell, continues to pick up wedding guests and do it with bridal party members in a linen closet.
This is yet another fabulous David E. Kelley production. Is he drawing from real life experience with his wife, actress Michelle Pfeiffer?
Not quite. Kelley claims that Ms. Michelle was so worried paparazzi would ruin her wedding day, she kept every detail a secret, event from her groom. Kelley recalls waiting back stage at the wedding venue, until someone told him to come out and head to the altar. Not very romantic.
Nor are all the couples getting hitched at the fictional Wedding Palace -- yet they provide quite a bit of wedding comedy. Some of it is not far from the truth, and some is completely over the top. But no matter the problem, the Bell sisters have it going on, when it comes to weddings. As someone who has worked with many wedding planners, I can tell you these gals are there and ready to deal with any wedding drama.
Everyone in the show has their own relationship drama going on. One of the managers is in love with the lead wedding singer, but she wants babies and he wants time. And so on.
Last weeks hysterical episode evolved around a completely in love couple, with one catch. The groom "appeared" to be totally gay and the bride's father did not want the wedding to happen and the minister, upon meeting the groom, refused to perform the ceremony (He said he was fine with marry gay couples, but not a gay guy to a straigt gal.) The bride was besides herself but the Bell sisters saved the day.
The wedding in fact was filled with drag Queens and looked a little La Cage a Faux, in the most charming way, with a Liza Minelli impersonator singing the couple down the aisle and back up during the processional.
Turns out the very flamboyant groom -- who was partial to boas in different colors and had his whole male wedding party wearing one -- was raised by a gay dad. He explained that this inspired his special flair for life and that he was just "different." It was quite charming, especially when, during the ceremony, which finally got underway, his vow was to sexually satisfy his bride for the rest of their days. Oh la la.
In the first episode, Delta Burke -- with her Christian daughter marrying a Jewish guy in a ceremony officiated with what she referred to as a "new age minister"-- tries to bribe the preacher with $500 "to make sure he says Jesus" at least twice in the ceremony.
The Wedding Bells is such a hoot. Catch it Friday nights on Fox at 9 PM/8 central. (Or check you local listing).
I notice they give real wedding tips to brides on their website. We're available to help the Bell sisters out with wedding insights, information and inspiration, any time!
© 2007, Reverend Laurie Sue Brockway
Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway is a leading interfaith and non-denominational wedding officiant. She creates unique ceremonies for couples of all backgrounds and faiths, and is also widely recognized as a relationship coach, bridal stress expert and columnist. She is author of WEDDING GODDESS: A Divine Guide To Transforming Wedding Stress into Wedding Bliss (Perigee Books, May 2005) and the new online course, Discover the Goddess. Visit Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway at www.WeddingGoddessWisdom.com.
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