HOLLYWOOD─So wedding fever is underway on “Days of Our Lives” and taking front-and-center this week was the nuptials between Lani and Eli. Kristen was the mystery party stalking Lani, at least that was what the audience was made to believe, but oh, there was indeed a surprise near the end of the week. In addition, Eli and Lani’s parents arrived in Salem for the wedding affair, officiated by Julie Williams of all people. Yeah, why the hell is everyone asking Julie to play a major role in their big event.

If there is one thing I’ve learned about soaps, it’s to always expect the unexpected and there was indeed a wedding crasher, the great Vivian Alamian portrayed by Louise Sorel. Yes, I know “One Life to Live” alum Robin Strasser attempted to fill in those shoes, but she didn’t come close to Sorel and I’m so happy to see the villainess back in the role. Why was Vivian back in Salem? Well perhaps to settle the score with the woman who fatally shot her son, Stefan or wait for it: to come face-to-face with Jake aka Stefan. Jake has been thru a hell of a rocker with Gabi obsessed to prove he is Stefan, Gwen getting tangled with the mob and now dear Mommie Dearest wanting to ensure she reunites with her only child.

“Days” has been missing a great villain, Kristen is fun, but fans always connect that character to the great Eileen Davidson people. Kristen is in town, but mainly to reunite with Brady who is ready to run off to the sunset with his fugitive baby mama people. As for Gabi, Chad is still certain she is guilty for poisoning Abigail, but wrong and the jury yielded the woman we love to hate the opportunity to have yet ANOTHER second chance. That does not mean Gabi is off the hook, until the real culprit can be pinpointed America, but she got those DNA results which confirmed what everyone in Salem and the world knew: he’s Stefan!

The question of the hour now remains how in the hell did he survive and WHOSE heart does Julie Williams have beating in her chest? Like I said before the writers really have to deliver a plausible case for this twist if they want the viewers to buy what they’re selling. While Lani and Eli are the first to walk down the aisle, Justin and Kayla, Ben and Ciara and Nicole and Eric are all prepping for their big day which is slated to probably take place once a week in the coming month.

Ciara’s wedding dress was damaged and everyone wants to know if Claire was culpable or perhaps someone behind the scenes hoping to make Claire look like she’s off her rocker. I would like to hope the latter, but I don’t think the writers are clever enough to allow that to transpire. Steve is still harboring deep feelings for his one true love and Nicole and Eric are juggling the big bomb of a secret involving Allie and her other, Sami not knowing she is pregnant. Yeah, it looks like NONE of these weddings are going to go off without a hiccup or several along the way.

One would like to think Eli and Lani will have a happily ever-after, but I mean first Gabi crashed the wedding, then Vivian with gun in tow ready to take out Lani for killing her dear son. Thankfully, Rafe came to the rescue and took Vivian into custody, where she finally came face-to-face with her son. With so much bad luck, it has to be a sign that perhaps that wedding that Lani and Eli so desperately wanted should have been placed on the backburner. I seriously cannot recall the last time weddings were fun on soaps, but I have my finger on Ciara and Ben’s wedding, which I think its going to be sinister to say the least America.