Four Utah siblings who recently got married on the same day want to make one thing clear: They did not extend their family togetherness into the honeymoons.
“No!” members of the Fortney family collectively told TODAY on Monday, just a day after returning from their separate honeymoons.
Four of the family's six children tied the knot on June 14 in separate services at the same ceremony, which was followed by a single, joint reception: Meagan, 19; Grace, 23; Jessica, 23; and their brother, Marcus, 21.
“It was a wonderful opportunity to attend each one of the children’s weddings, and the siblings were able to attend each other’s wedding as well,” said their father, Kevin Fortney. ”And so to sit and watch each one of your children be married and then to have their brothers and sisters there, it was a great experience.”
The idea started with Meagan, who came up with the notion in January as a triple wedding with her sisters. She eventually got her brother, Marcus, to turn the trio into a quartet.
“Yeah, we kind of just jumped in there at the last minute," Marcus acknowledged, "but we’re all happy about it."
Meagan said planning went smoothly, with none of the ladies turning into a Bridezilla: “We were all nice,” she swore.
Kevin Fortney said having four weddings at once was a bit overwhelming, something he compared to standing in the ocean as a huge wave approaches.
“You first think, ‘Man, that’s great,’ and then the wave comes and it blows you over and you’re being tossed around in the sand,” he said. “And you stand up at the end and you realize you’re just grateful to have your dignity because your suit is still on.
“That’s sort of what it felt like. You just go, ‘Oh my gosh,’ and you just get through it,” he said.
The children's mother, Marie Fortney, who helped coordinate the event, said she was shocked by how much attention the nuptials attracted, but joked she's already planning for the next family undertaking: coordinating the births of all her grandchildren.
Watch: Siblings celebrate 4 weddings at once
Slideshow 24 photos
Here comes the bride! Famous wedding gowns
Follow TODAY.com writer Eun Kyung Kim on Google+ or on Twitter.