That's exactly what the fans got. Quint and Nola's wedding was unique for the simple reason that it was not some outlandish fantasy-style production - it was the kind of wedding that real people have. Granted, it's not exactly commonplace for the bride's family to leave the bride at the house with no means of getting to the church, or for the bride to solve that problem by flagging down a firetruck. And it's not every day that the happy couple get from the church to the wedding reception by hot air balloon.

On the other hand, how often do you see a soap opera wedding reception in a place as homey as the neighborhood bar run by the bride's brother? For that matter, how often do you see the wedding take place in a church - rather than a meadow, or an amusement park, or on the spur-of-the-moment at the country club? At what other wedding have you seen the bridesmaids dressing behind a sheet in the church basement?

In real life, brides often ask members of their husbands family to be bridesmaids, whether they like them or not - just as Nola did Vanessa. In real life, the reception can't begin until after the pictures are taken - and we got to see all the picture-taking, complete with freeze-frames, family and friends acting silly, and people walking into shots unexpectedly. In real life, the bride coaches her best friend on exactly where to stand to catch the bouquet and then someone else catches it - just as Nola coached Gracie, only to have the bouquet land in Vanessa's hands. In real life, brides and grooms have a hard enough time just getting through the regular vows, without worrying about being able to remember something special they wrote for the ceremony. Quint and Nola got through their vows just fine, but they chose to use the simple and traditional words that brides and grooms have spoken for generations.

Quint and Nola's courtship was full of bizarre twists and turns. What a joy it was for fans for their wedding to be full of fun with all of their family and friends around to share in their happiness.