Behind the Scenes: Creating an Unforgettable Virgin River Wedding

(uplifting music plays)

Crew: background, camera and action!

Richard Keith: Today we’re filming six seasons leading up to the most important wedding in the history of the world.

Erin Cardillo: It’s the royal wedding.

COVER CARD: The Making of Mel & Jack’s Wedding Day

(uplifting music continues)

Alexandra Breckenridge: It’s a huge wedding. To be honest, I was surprised by this.

Martin Henderson: Me too.

Alexandra Breckenridge: I thought it would be quite small and intimate, somewhere on a river bank.

(CLIP) Jenny Cooper (as Joey): I can’t believe you’re getting married.

Martin Henderson: It turned into something bigger than I ever thought we would photograph.

Alexandra Breckenridge: It’s beautiful.

Martin Henderson: But we almost broke up then.

Alexandra Breckenridge: (laughs) When?

Martin Henderson: Oh, in season 2 or 3 or something.

Alexandra Breckenridge: That was your fault.

Martin Henderson: It was the author’s fault. I didn’t write that.

Alexandra Breckenridge: That’s right.

Martin Henderson: Yes.

Annette O’Toole: This year was all about the wedding. Every single scene is essentially about getting to the wedding.

(CLIP) Annette O’Toole (as Hope McCrea): Welcome, friends and family, to this very special occasion.

Tony Devenyi: With Virgin River we kind of established a look and a style, and a lot of that is due to the community coming together.

(CLIP) Everyone: Surprise!

Tony Devenyi: Today we are filming the ceremony and have built a beautiful arch reminiscent of this barn.

(CLIP) Tim Matheson (as Vernon “Doc” Mullins): You look absolutely stunning.

(CLIP) Alexandra Breckenridge (as Melinda Monroe): Aww! Thank you, doctor.

W. Robert “Fluffy” Millar: We had to try to find a place that was similar to the land where Lilly’s farmhouse was. The same rolling hills, the same greenery, so this place was perfect.

(CLIP) Alexandra Breckenridge (as Melinda Monroe): I love you so much.

(everyone cheers)

(CLIP) Annette O’Toole (as Hope McCrea): For the first time, I’d like to introduce Jack and Mel Sheridan!

(everyone cheers)

Tony Devenyi: One of the main characters in “Virgin River” is of course nature. We always show it and it’s a big part of the characters’ world, so we wanted to bring as much of that element into the set as possible.

Mecca Thornhill: Tony and I had discussions back and forth. “We really like these rocks because they remind me of the river rocks.” So Mel and Jack go to the river. They met there. And so on, and so on. It just ties everything together.

Tony Devenyi: We always try to include things whether the audience knows it or not, or whether the fans recognize it. It means something to us too, and I think it means something to the actors too.

(glass clinks, everyone applauds)

(CLIP) Colin Lawrence (as John “Preacher” Middleton): Falling in love is an act of courage. But a greater act of courage is to fall in love again. So to Mel and Jack!

(everyone cheers)

Tony Devenyi: One of the things we wanted to do with this episode is bring back a lot of parts from previous episodes.

Mecca Thornhill: For example, this is the bar we used at the Renaissance Fair when we did Jack’s Tavern. So we repurposed the barrels, brought the table top and built a new bar.

Tony Devenyi: So there are little Easter eggs here and there that we wanted to include, like the back of the band stage from the Picnic episode. Whenever there is a special event, we like to decorate this bakery cart to give it a little more charm and this time it is of course the wedding.

(everyone applauds)

(CLIP) Annette O’Toole (as Hope McCrea): Jack, it’s time.

(CLIP) Alexandra Breckenridge (as Melinda Monroe): Mmm! Time for what?

(CLIP) Martin Henderson (as Jack Sheridan): Oh… (clears throat) Ma’am?

Richard Keith: My favorite moment is her first dance to her father’s song, written by Wesley of the Lumineers.

(CLIP) John Allen Nelson (as Everett Reid):♪ You saved my soul and my heart ♪

(CLIP) Annette O’Toole (as Hope McCrea): Come on, Vernon, let’s dance!

(CLIP) Tim Matheson (as Vernon “Doc” Mullins): OK!

Richard Keith: With all drama seasons, especially Season 5, we really wanted it to be as joyous an event as possible.

Colin Lawrence: I hope you enjoy Season 6. Big Wedding Day. Oh, it’s going to be exciting!

(CLIP) Annette O’Toole (as Hope McCrea): Without further ado, let’s get this show on the road!

(uplifting music plays)

Alexandra Breckenridge: Hello!

Benjamin Hollingsworth: It’s like a big party on and off set.

(everyone cheers)

Sarah Dugdale: It’s just about hanging out with a lot of people that you enjoy working with.

Tim Matheson: We’re all in the same room together and it was really wonderful.

Annette O’Toole: It was great.

(uplifting music continues)

Erin Cardillo: The most important thing about the Virgin River wedding is that it feels like the city is included. But as we were writing this season, the most important thing to us was that Mel and Jack, really just the two of them, had a moment where they crossed that threshold together.

(CLIP) Martin Henderson (as Jack Sheridan): (crying quietly) I’ll be with you through everything, Mel. And I’ve got you. Always.

(CLIP) Alexandra Breckenridge (as Melinda Monroe): I got you too.

(uplifting music continues)

♪ I can make you feel at home ♪