DAYS: Why Will and Sonny's Wedding Mattered More Than You May Think

Sonny Kirirakis and Will Horton wedding photo.
Photo Credit: Photo Credit: JPI Studios/ Howard Wise

DAYS OF OUR LIVES couple Sonny and Will, affectionately known as "WilSon" to fans, got married this week, and a lot can be said about the first male same sex couple to get married on Daytime TV. Sonny and Will get to kiss, they get to have sex, and now they get to marry just like any other couple on soaps. But beyond that milestone, this wedding represented something different. Once upon a time in a soap opera land far, far away, a wedding meant something. A couple "earned" their wedding. They didn't meet, have sex, fall in love, and then get married in three months. What always made soap operas unique was viewers having the chance to see relationships develop slowly. How can you care about something, if you don’t have the time to invest in the relationship?

Will and Sonny have been through it all, and now they get their payoff. What makes this wedding extra special are the relationships between the characters that are connected to Sonny and Will. Marlena, ostensibly the heart and soul of DAYS, was the perfect person to officiate the ceremony. We saw on camera months of Marlena and Will bonding during his coming out process, as she helped him cope. She saw him through his darkest days.

We have seen years and years of Will being effected by the problems of Sami and Lucas. When Sami apologizes to Will for the negative impact she has had on his life, we know what she is talking about. We watched it. The little "rivalries" between the mothers of the grooms over who got to give the first wedding toast, means something. We have seen Sami and Adrienne for months fighting over their "boys."

The history between Marlena and Kate goes back 20 years on the show. The differences between the two are obvious, and Will comforting Kate, assuring her she is just as special to him as Marlena, means something. I can’t say enough about the performances of Alison Sweeney, Bryan Datillo, Wally Kurth, Judi Evans (who deserves another Emmy for her reaction shots to Will and Sonny wedding), Lauren Koslow and Deidre Hall, And let's not forget to mention Guy Wilson, seamlessly stepping into a role made famous by Emmy-winner Chandler Massey, and Freddie Smith. Both Guy and Freddie radiated love as Will and Sonny.

Peggy McKay deserves special recognition as Caroline, a character suffering from Alzheimer's. At first, worrying the family that her speech she was giving was going off track. Ultimately, she remembers a gay couple who came to the pub who weren't able to be open about their relationship. Comparing them to Will and Sonny, who have the love and acceptance from all of their family members, caused the tears to flow.

You look into the audience full of characters we have known for years. With all of the outlandish plots this daytime drama has been known for, they have retained the family bonds that have made DAYS OF OUR LIVES. How long have we known Victor, Maggie, Hope, Jennifer, Abe, Caroline, Lucas, Sami, Justin, and Adrienne? There is also something very touching about a marriage between Sonny, the son of "super couple," Justin and Adrienne, who had their own gorgeous wedding in Greece, and Will, the son of Lucas and Sami, who had their own fairy tale ceremony.





Some may say that the term "super couple," is outdated. But who doesn't want to believe in the power of all consuming love? At their best, soaps have always been about respecting their history, while moving forward into the present. DAYS succeeded with Will and Sonny's marriage. The wedding was certainly groundbreaking, but I say it's a return to classic storytelling. I connected to the emotion surrounding this wedding, less because of who was getting married, but more because of the journey and their loves ones who got them there.



What did you think about Will and Sonny's wedding? Sound off below. I would love to hear your thoughts.