48% of the votes - Bo and Hope (Peter Reckell and Kristian Alfonso): After tracking down “The Dragon” in England and helping bring the nefarious killer to justice, Bo and Hope were rewarded by the British government with an extravagant wedding at St. Mary’s Church in the Cotswolds. Hope, who was dressed in a $20,000 gown with an elaborate, hand-crafted headpiece, was escorted down the aisle to Bo by her grandfather, Tom, and the groom serenaded her with “Love Between Us”. As wedding party members like Kim, Shane and Marlena looked on, Bo told Hope, “I know our lives aren’t going to be sunshine and roses from here on in, but I’m going to try my hardest to keep our love alive,” and she vowed, “I give you my life and all my love through all eternity.” The pair’s memorable wedding was matched by a memorable wedding night — they wound up in jail for stealing a milk truck and a horse — but they made up for it with a honeymoon in Manhattan.
17% of the votes - John and Marlena (Drake Hogestyn and Deidre Hall): Some 13 years after they said, “I do” while under the impression that John was Roman, “Jarlena” was united together in holy matrimony at the Penthouse Grill. Her twins, Sami and Eric, served as the maid of honor and best man; his son, Brady, was the ring bearer; and their daughter, Belle, was the flower girl. During the ceremony, Marlena recited an excerpt from the Song of Solomon, explaining, “It signifies to me the end of the bad times.” The couple fashioned a bouquet, with each of their children represented by flowers, and the bride vowed, “Whatever comes, I will laugh with you, weep with you, celebrate with you, and mourn with you. Whatever comes, I am yours, my love, until death parts us.” Eric toasted the newly- weds at the reception, and they danced to “Unchained Melody”, sung by Celeste, then jetted off to Hawaii for their honeymoon.
14% of the votes - Steve and Kayla (Stephen Nichols and Mary Beth Evans): The joining together of Patch and his Sweetness was a glorious affair aboard a yacht (a surprise from Steve for his bride; it had been her childhood dream). The bride wore her mother, Caroline’s, veil and a gown made of silk satin and French Chantilly lace, while the groom donned a gray tuxedo accented with his trademark bolo tie. After Steve recited his vows to his bride, who had recovered her hearing but was still mute from an explosion, Kayla began signing hers. When she suddenly stopped, Steve gave Kayla the sign for courage — and she was miraculously able to finish her vows aloud. A choked-up Steve vowed “to spend the rest of my life living up to the faith that you have in me.” At the reception, best man Marcus delivered a toast and Roman shared a congratulatory message from Bo and Hope. Then the pair rode off in a gondola, ready to embark on their honey- moon and new life together.
11 % of the votes - Doug and Julie (Bill Hayes and Susan Seaforth Hayes): Salem’s first supercouple tied the knot in a sentimental ceremony that saw Julie’s young son, David, walk his mother down the aisle and Doug’s young daughter, Hope, serve as flower girl. The bride, whose dress was made of Chantilly lace over pink satin, also carried a pin belonging to her late mother (and Doug’s former wife), Addie. Trish sang “One Heart, One Hand” to kick off the ceremony, and the duo’s vows were the words that portrayers Hayes and Seaforth Hayes spoke to one another at their real-life wedding two years prior, including excerpts from First Corinthians, the Book of Ruth and Song of Songs. Before taping the reception, once the wedding was complete, the actors went to receive the congratulations of viewers who had gathered at the studio to catch a glimpse of the bride and groom.
10 % of the votes - Jack and Jennifer (Matthew Ashford and Melissa Reeves): Jack and Jen got hitched at Salem’s Wild West Arena (the only venue big enough after Jack accidentally invited the whole town to the nups), filmed on location at Universal Studios in Hollywood. To complement the Western theme, the action included the groom falling into a well and being thrown from a horse, and the bride being lifted into the air on a sway pole that swung over the audience (the show constructed three of Jennifer’s $10,000 gowns to withstand the stunts). But there were plenty of sweet touches, too. The bride donned her mother, Laura’s, pearl necklace, delivered by her father, Bill, as well as the blue garter that her grandmother Alice had worn at her own wedding. Jennifer recited a poem, “The Journey”, and after the ceremony, Jack shared a heart- felt letter with his beaming bride, and they shared their first dance to Beth Nielsen Chapman’s “All I Have”.