Keck's Exclusives: Grey's Creator on the Premiere's Surprise Wedding

[Warning: This story contains spoilers from the upcoming season of Grey's Anatomy.]

"One of the things I love about the first episode of the season is Cristina and Owen getting married," says Grey's Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes, who sat down with me for an exclusive one-on-one interview to discuss her show's seventh season premiere, airing Sept. 23. "It's this beautifully wonderful, happy, hopeful moment that I really liked seeing."Want more Grey's Anatomy scoop? Subscribe to TV Guide Magazine now!
TV Guide Magazine: Owen and Cristina get engaged and married in the season premiere. Why take that huge step instead of building the suspense and anticipation over a few weeks or months?
Rhimes: I felt like for Owen that it became very clear out of that shooting that he loved Cristina Yang and wanted to be with her. That was made incredibly clear for him, so why would they be waiting? It also felt like she, the last person we think of being a bride, really needed a lifeline and was really changed by the experience as well and could really take a leap.TV Guide Magazine: We have seen Cristina as a bride before — at her beautiful wedding to Dr. Burke that never happened. Is this going to be discussed or an issue blocking their path to happiness?
Rhimes: Cristina doesn't talk about it. Meredith's sort of very worried that she's doing this thing. We had a line, but I'm not sure if it made it in, with Derek saying 'I was the best man at her last wedding.' You do feel like this is a very different wedding. That  wedding was all pomp and circumstance with a huge church, tons of people, dresses, lots of flowers, bridesmaids and everything. This is a very simple, elegant wedding.TV Guide Magazine: Might we see their parents in attendance?
Rhimes: Cristina's mom is who she always was. Let's just put it this way — there's discussion of parents coming.TV Guide Magazine: Where does it take place?
Rhimes: It's in Meredith's living room. A candlelit evening ceremony with a small group of people and the bride does not wear white. It feels very adult and very much like Cristina.

Check back with TV Guide Magazine in the coming weeks for many more exclusive details on what's coming up this season on Grey's.
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