(Illustration via Bridal Guide Magazine)

When Abigail Kirk and Andy Weeks were kicking around ideas about their February 5 wedding, it was important to him that they share a last name, and she said she really didn’t want to use his. They were already planning a Twilight Breaking Dawn wedding because Abigail is a Twihard, so Andy suggested they just change both their last names to Cullen.

And so it was that Abigail wore Alfred Angelo’s commercial version of the gown Bella wore in the film, they used the Breaking Dawn soundtrack throughout their wedding… and then the took the surname of the vampire clan in the books and movies.

What do I think of it? Well, if you’re going to use a theme, I think it’s best to use one that both of you are really into. Andy hasn’t read the Twilight books. Still, if one partner wishes to indulge the other in something that’s meaningful to him or her, I’ve got no beef. And I do think it’s entirely up to the couple in question to decide the whose name to use issue for themselves using their own criteria. I’m down with couples changing their name to one that doesn’t come from either side, if that’s what works for them. So long as they aren’t trying to defraud anyone or evade the long arm of the law with their choice, I think it’s between them and the deity of their choice.

It’s a big old world and a free country, and I wish them well. And that’s about all the opinion I’m going to admit to having… but no power on earth can make me read those books or watch those movies.

Also? There are worse names to change to. I’m a huge Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan, and that one leaves open the option of changing your surname to ‘the Bloody.’

At least Cullen is a name.

Ha! Fooled you! This is just a random shot from one of the Twilight films. Thing is, I know there are at least three Twihards out there who haven’t seen Breaking Dawn Part One yet, and I’m not going to spoil them. You’ll have to look under the cut.
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Weddings… they sure do make chicks crazy, amirite? I’m kidding, of course, but you might assume I wasn’t if you’ve spent any time watching shows like Bridezillas and all the other wacky wedding shows that likely make WE Channel executives oodles of money. The stereotype of the shrilly screaming bride-to-be who needs everyone to know it’s ‘her daaaayyyyyy’ isn’t just a staple of reality TV and Target: Women. Nope, you can find it in fiction, too.

Right now I’m thinking of Bride Wars, which was met with largely negative reviews from critics. As it should have been. You’d think that a chick flick about two friends who are both getting married would feature strong women expressing their feelings and learning about themselves and kicking ass with girl power. Instead, you get a no holds barred chick vs. chick bitchlympics. Granted, the main characters do make up at the end, but they spend a good deal of the movie acting like spoiled bridezillas whose supposedly strong friendship is all but fractured by a clerical error.

Movies like Bride Wars aren’t meant to depict reality, I know, but the whole premise implies that caring independent women are just one wedding mishap away from turning into screaming banshees who will sacrifice their most precious relationships to ensure their ‘special daaaayyyyyy’ stays special. It ticks me off and bums me out at the same time, since I know that 99.9999% of the time, brides-to-be are calm, partial to compromise, and willing to roll with the punches… especially when the people important to them are involved.

So did any of you see Bride Wars? What did YOU think?

Ever dreamed of a Hollywood wedding? Ever dreamed of walking the red carpet? Ever dreamed of being married on the red carpet in Hollywood? Well, here’s your chance.

In honor of Patrick Dempsey’s new film Made of Honor in which McDreamy (and I really, really thought that name was made up as a joke on Television Without Pity for a very long time) discovers he’s fallen in love with a longtime platonic female friend just as she’s being swept off her feet by the man of her dreams in Scotland and asks Dempsey to be her MOH, The Knot and Sony Pictures are teaming up to hold a contest. The winning couple will get married on the red carpet at the premiere of Made of Honor. Runners up will win shopping sprees and Made of Honor gift packs (contents unspecified). If you’re interested, you can get the details here.

Other than that, I was giggling at a couple wedding-related articles at The Onion, and thought I’d pass on the links so others can enjoy a laugh.

Mommy’s Wedding More Fun Than Daddy’s

Peasant Wedding Gets Out of Hand

And in conclusion, I give you the Peeps Bachelor Party:

Wedding videos…does anyone other than the bride want to watch them after the big day is through? The people behind Viddea think so, but I’m not so sure. I do believe that folks who couldn’t make it to the wedding itself would enjoy poking through the proceedings via video once or twice. But paying to put it online?

Right now, users can get a free trial of the video sharing service, which seems fairly easy to use as brides and grooms need only ask their videographers to send in their DVDs. Viddea charges the videographer, who no doubt passes the fee onto the customer. Then it seems that Viddea makes more money selling copies of your wedding DVD to friends and family.

Um…in the age of YouTube and of easy-to-use DVD burners, I’m must question the relevance of such a service. But, hey, I could be wrong. Let’s have a look at their features, as described on the web site:

• Viddia allows you to share special features of your wedding video DVD like pre-ceremony preparations or a rehearsal dinner with your friends–even if they weren’t there in person!
• Your friends can easily pick and choose which parts of your wedding video they’d like to watch! For instance they can skip right to that first dance or the best man’s toast!
• Viddia allows you to share your wedding video from a customized web page that reflects your personal taste and also provides a personalized message to your family and friends!
• Password protection can ensure that only those who you grant permission to are allowed to view your Viddia wedding video. Avoid the hassle of copying wedding DVD’s for friends and family, they can buy their own copy when they view your video!

Privacy is good. And I do like to avoid hassles, but anything that does not tell me how much it costs up front sets my teeth on edge. Personally, I prefer to weigh my hassles against the cost of avoiding them, if you see what I mean.

When the weather is grey and dreary (like it is today where I live), I like to put on one of The Beard’s old ratty sweaters and my comfy slippers, and spend the afternoon watching movies. And not just any movies. I’m talking about looooooove stories. Tear-jerkers, movies that make me laugh, and movies that make me cry.

I like to get the most love story bang for my love story buck. So I bought Love Tickles – a four disc set that includes My Best Friend’s Wedding, Sleepless in Seattle, The Wedding Planner, and As Good as It Gets. The last one is my favorite, just because it’s so bizarre.

I love this movie! If you think all of the Windex references in My Big Fat Greek Wedding are pure fiction, you need to meet my family. At my parents’ house, Windex is used as a weapon as well as for wiping down counters. Plus it’s nice to watch a movie full of normal looking people every once in a while!

So I Married an Axe Murderer is full of awesome, silly fun and says a lot about the dangers of being too suspicious.

I hope those of you who are having a grey day like mine or are just in a plain old grey mood will see fit to join me in hunkering down on the couch, watching some flicks, and dreaming about love!

Because I love courtship and marriage and love and romantic entanglements, I love Jane Austen. And because I love Jane Austen, I love Pride & Prejudice. And because I love Pride & Prejudice, I love Mr. Darcy. He’s like the original bad boy. Well, the gentleman of bad boys, anyway.

Last night, I was lucky enough to check out the soon-to-be released DVD of the newest version of Pride & Prejudice. (Hint: it stars the subtly handsome Matthew Macfadyen as Mr. Darcy.) Besides being a wonderful adaptation of this, one of my favorite books, it was also quite realistic in that the characters were all sort of gritty and unkempt – as was the norm back then when baths were seen as something frightfully bad for your health. It had some fabulous extras – I like my DVDs to have tons of special features – like a profile of the Bennet family and a short biography of Jane Austen.

Anyhow, to celebrate love, Jane Austen, getting married, studly leading men, and all that, I want to hear your craziest wedding stories – from your own wedding or a wedding you attended. Maybe the best man was caught in flagrante delicto with the matron of honor by the wedding photographer, who taped the whole thing and sent it to the mother of the bride. Or perhaps the bride showed up drunk and married an usher by mistake.

Whatever your nutty, funny, wacky, or even disturbing wedding story is, I want to hear it. The lady or gent who sends me most enthralling story will receive a Pride & Prejudice prize package, courtesy of Universal Studios and Salon Tea, that includes:

• A copy of the Pride & Prejudice soundtrack CD

• A romantic gift set from Salon Tea that includes one canister of Romantic Tea (green tea and jasmine) and one canister of rock amber sugar crystals, plus Tea For Two lip balm (in chai tea for the gentleman and green tea with roses for the lady) in a cute little flannel bag.

• And a Pride & Prejudice “I’m with Darcy” or “Mrs. Darcy” baby t-shirt

E-mail your bizarre or hilarious wedding story to Never.teh.Bride@gmail.com by February 27 and on February 28, I’ll announce the lucky winner and post their story. I’ll also choose the stories of two runners up to share as well on subsequent days. Good luck! And let’s hear those crazy stories!