KISS Rocker Gene Simmons Weds Long-Time Love Shannon Tweed
By Empress Eve
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Sunday, October 2nd, 2011 at 9:38 am
Being a long-time KISS fan and well aware of its bass player’s fear of marriage, I never thought this day would come — Gene Simmons wed his long-time love Shannon Tweed yesterday at the Beverly Hills Hotel.
The 62-year-old rocker and the Canadian actress, 54, have been together for 28 years and have two children together: 22-year-old Nick, who stood as best man for his father, and 19-year-old Sophie, who was the maid of honor. The family has appeared together since 2006 on the A&E reality television series Gene Simmons Family Jewels.
One of the running themes on the family’s reality series is Simmons’ reluctance to tie the knot with Tweed — or with anyone, for that matter, constantly stating how he doesn’t believe in marriage, even though he’s been living with Tweed all these years and had children with her. Though Simmons has always claimed that he’s committed to Tweed and hasn’t strayed outside their relationship, he’s often been seen with beautiful young women on his arm while attending events. In June 2011, Tweed was fed up enough with her boyfriend’s behavior to want out of the relationship, and even stormed off the set of TV interview the couple was doing to promote the start of season 6 of Family Jewels. Most thought it was a publicity stunt, since in the season premiere, Simmons finally proposed to her, giving the former Playboy playmate a 24-carat diamond ring.
The series returns to A&E on October 4 at 9pm ET and the season will center around the couple’s nuptials.
With KISS, Simmons performs in full make-up as “the demon” persona and has enjoyed worldwide success for five decades now. KISS’s Paul Stanley and long-time manager Doc McGhee were in the wedding party, and all the band members got up in their wedding attire to perform at the reception playing KISS tunes (sung by Simmons) “Lick It Up,” “Shout It Out Loud,” and “Rock and Roll All Nite,” according to the official KISS Facebook page. Son Nick also performed with Stanley’s son Evan on The Doors’ “Roadhouse Blues,” while daughter Sophie sang the couple’s first-dance song, Etta James’s “At Last.” Shannon also sang at the event.
From the KISS Facebook page:
At the reception Sophie and Nick both toasted their parents, and Paul told a few humorous Gene stories before wishing Gene and Shannon the happiness that he has found in his own marriage.
Leading up to the October 1 wedding, which took place at the Beverly Hills Hotel’s gardens and had 400 guests in attendance, Tweed complained on The Today Show that while Simmons planned to marry her, he hadn’t promised to be faithful. Simmons had responded only with “I will do my best.”
Check out the video here below from ET where the couple talks about their upcoming wedding and more; also, see below the wedding invitation (via People) written by Sophie with art by Nick.
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Kind of ruins the suspense of their reality TV show, seeing all the pics and press write-ups online, doesn’t it. Â :)
Smiles!
Lori
Comment by Lori Strongin — October 2, 2011 @ 1:18 pm