Check out my Top 10 on tvguide.ca!
2011-05-02 
We know some of you may be experiencing the post-Royal Wedding blues. After months of preparation, excitement, and anticipation for the marriage of two total strangers that you probably watched in your pyjamas as their nups were televised, you have nothing left to look forward to.
So, to save you from this impending funk, we’ve come up with our favourite TV weddings in order for you to keep the fever going a little longer. These couples not only procured high ratings, but they made many lasting memories and even managed to wring out a few tears.
LUKE and LAURA (General Hospital)
Luke Spencer and Laura Webber’s wedding, which aired on Nov. 17, 1981, remains the highest-rated hour in American soap opera history with over 30 million viewers. The unmatched super-couple landed on the cover of Newsweek and their nuptials even featured a guest spot by Elizabeth Taylor. Luke and Laura were married for two decades and had two kids together. They have since divorced and while Anthony Geary is still embroiled in drama in Port Charles, Laura’s portrayer, Genie Francis, hasn’t been on GH in years, and heads to The Young and the Restless at the end of May.
MONICA and CHANDLER (Friends)
Monica Geller became Mrs. Chandler Bing during the hour-long Season 7 finale, which aired on May 17, 2001. About 30 million viewers tuned in to see two of their favourite pals prepare to tie the knot. Though the episode started in a panic — Chandler got cold feet and went missing but best man and brother of the bride, Ross brought him to his senses — the wedding went off without a hitch, for the most part. Probably one of the most shocking cliffhangers in Friends history occurred that night in a final scene (filmed without the usual studio audience in attendance in order to keep the big secret) where it was revealed that Rachel was pregnant. Monica and Chandler lived happily ever after and even adopted newborn twins in the series finale just before moving out of the infamous purple apartment.
CÉLINE DION and RENÉ ANGÉLIL
On Dec. 17, 1994, a 26-year-old Céline Dion married her long-time manager René Angélil who was 51 at the time, almost double his bride’s age. Wearing a pearl-studded silk dress with a 23-kg train and a headpiece containing 2,000 crystals that would make Lady Gaga jealous, the singing superstar declared her love for her unlikely partner at the Notre Dame Basilica in Old Montreal. Five hundred guests, as well as many Canadians watching on their televisions at home, experienced the union. Today, the couple stands strong with their three children.
NATHAN and HALEY (One Tree Hill)
When Haley James started tutoring bad boy Nathan Scott in the first season, no one thought they’d be married by the end of the year. After time apart during Season 2, the show’s favourite couple reunited to walk down the aisle one more time to restate their love in front of their family and friends. The third season finale on May 3, 2006 marked the big day for Naley — but nothing’s ever perfect in Tree Hill. After an unsolved four-way pregnancy scare and a few intense arguments, Nathan’s uncle Cooper and a broken-hearted and drunk Rachel drove the limo off a bridge, causing Nathan and Lucas to jump in after them. Talk about a cliffhanger. Years later, Nathan and Haley are still happily married and have two children, Jamie and Lydia.
ROB MARIANO and AMBER BRKICH
No one knows how to milk reality TV stardom like Mr. and Mrs. Mariano. Boston Rob alone has been on four different seasons of Survivor and two seasons of The Amazing Race (while Amber participated in two seasons of each show) and together, they shared Rob & Amber: Against the Odds with the world. On top of all that, Rob and Amber Get Married was televised as a two-hour CBS special about their “private” wedding ceremony at the Atlantis in the Bahamas on April 16, 2005. The limelight lovers are still together today and have two daughters, Lucia and Carina.
PAM and JIM (The Office)
Nearly 10 million people watched as Office lovebirds Pam Beesley and Jim Halpert exchanged their vows — twice — on Oct. 8, 2009 in an hour-long special. The Dunder-Mifflin employees followed the couple to Niagara Falls where they snuck away from the office madness that would veritably ruin their wedding. Of course, they could not hide from Michael and the gang, who made a grand entrance: a spoof of the popular YouTube video “The JK Wedding Entrance.” Pam and Jim went on to have a baby girl named Cecelia Marie Halpert, who was actually named by actress Jenna Fischer herself (after her niece).
DAVID and DONNA (Beverly Hills, 90210)
The eternally on-again off-again Donna Martin and David Silver finally tied the knot during the show’s emotional two-hour series finale, which aired on May 17, 2000. It was a marriage a decade in the making for fans of this classic series. Donna and David emerged early on as the couple to root for amidst the messy love triangles such as the Brenda-Dylan-Kelly situation. In the current reboot of the show, 90210, it was revealed by Donna (played by the returning Tori Spelling) that she and David split up, sadly, after the birth of their daughter.
TRISTA REHN and RYAN SUTTER (The Bachelorette)
Trista was the runner-up in the first season of The Bachelor, which led to her being the first Bachelorette in 2003. She chose Ryan Sutter as the winner and the two were married on married on Dec. 6, 2003. They were paid $1 million by ABC for the right to televise their wedding ceremony, which drew over 26 million viewers, making it one of the most widely viewed specials in reality TV history. The wedding itself reportedly cost $3.77 million, which isn’t surprising considering the bride’s diamond-encrusted shoes cost $50,000 alone. Most surprising of all, this reality couple is still going strong today after seven years and they have two children.
DAPHNE and NILES (Frasier)
Beginning in just the third episode when Niles fell in love with Daphne, the relationship between Frasier’s live-in housekeeper and his brother progressed throughout the entire series. In a four-part episode closing Season 7 and opening Season 8, Niles finally confessed his feelings to her and she left her fiancé at the altar. But it wasn’t until the Season 10 premiere that the two actually got hitched. Daphne and Niles had their first child in the series finale, “Goodnight, Seattle,” and named him David (after the show’s co-creator, David Angell).
DIANA, PRINCESS OF WALES and PRINCE CHARLES
As the first British commoner to marry the heir to the throne in some 400 years, Diana was every bit the fairy-tale bride. On July 29, 1981, Diana wed His Royal Highness Prince Charles, heir to the British throne. The “wedding of the century” was a national holiday only in the U.K., and watched by 750 million people worldwide, the most ever for a televised ceremony. Di’s dress also broke records with its 25-foot train of ivory taffeta and antique lace. This fairy tale didn’t end happily ever after, unfortunately, as the couple was involved in scandal, alleged affairs, divorce in 1996, and a tragedy that took the beloved Princess’ life in 1997. Diana’s ring, consisting of 14 diamonds surrounding a massive blue sapphire, now sits on Kate Middleton’s left hand as she weds her prince, Di’s eldest son, William.
