Patrick Dempsey has declined his invitation to Grey’s Anatomy co-star Katherine Heigl’s wedding in favor of spending the holiday with his family.

Heigl, 29, is set to marry singer Josh Kelley, 27, on December 23rd. “I am so happy for her,” he tells Entertainment Tonight‘s.

“I’ve never seen her so happy,” he added. “He’s a great guy, too, and they are a great couple.”

Dempsey, 41, will be spending the holiday with his wife Jill, daughter Tallulah, & 10-month-old twins Darby and Sullivan.

“It’s the first Christmas with the boys. They’ll be walking by then, so we’re excited,” he tells ET. Dempsey might be a no-show, but Grey’s will be represented at the wedding by castmate T.R. Knight, who will be Heigl’s bridesman.

What do we think about the term “bridesman”? As a chica with more guy friends than gal, I think I may be one of the few to have a bridesman (or two) at my own wedding!