On one end of the spectrum was a wedding in which both the bride and groom worked in comics in different capacities. They're not huge celebrity names that sell tons of additional books just because their names were on them, but they're far from unknowns. They've both done work for Marvel and DC, as well as some personal projects that are closer to their passions. They know that those personal projects are emotionally satisfying, but they need to work with the big guys to pay the bills. As such, they spend a lot of time in and among the circles of comics professionals and, accordingly, a great many of their wedding guests were comics professionals.
On the other end was a wedding in which just the groom worked in comics. Again, not a huge celebrity name but one that's not unknown. He's never worked for Marvel and DC. I suspect that if they offered him a gig, he'd take it, but it's never been a real pursuit of his. He'd rather work on his personal passion projects and pour his all into that. His work is very much his work, and that's what drives him, even if he never really makes any fame or fortune from it. He pours his energy into the work, and doesn't spend much as much time with other comic professionals. Accordingly, at his wedding, there was only one other guest besides myself who had much of an interest in comics, but he wasn't working in the industry and he was on the bride's side anyway!
It's interesting, I think, because a wedding isn't just a list of everyone in your address book; it's a reflection of the people closest to you emotionally. The first wedding happened to look like a comic book convention attendee list; the second one, not so much. Even though I suspect he could scan through his digital rolodex and get the names and addresses of just as many comics folks. Part of why those first couple are doing more work within the industry (after, of course, having a fair amount of talent) is that they have a number of people they are close to who also work in the industry, and are able to provide support and guidance, even if it's only tangential to their prime career. The other gent, not being as "in" with other comics pros, doesn't have as many connections to work with, and winds up working largely outside the system. Which, I hasten to add, is not an issue/concern for him! I daresay it's almost a point of pride.
Neither approach is necessarily better than the other. And your wedding should not be about just trying to make industry connections. But it is interesting to note how the different professional approaches are reflected in the personal lives of creators. By taking one path, your personal and professional lives blur together more than you might expect, but by taking another path, you can still work in comics and keep them pretty separated. It all depends on what your goals and aspirations as a comic creator are.
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