The reason why Wii features won't work when playing GC games, is because Wii doesn't emulate any games, it goes into "Gamecube mode", but i think it would have been possible to make it use Wiis internal flash. If it makes you feel better, there isn't any way to save GC gamesaves to Wiis internal flash. Maybe in the future, if Nintendo releases update, or in a possible new updated build.
You got the OoT&MQ with the special edition of WW, didn't need to preorder. OoT was dropped off, when WW came as players choise game.

Your wife may like GC games like Donkey Kongas and Jungle Beat (DK bongos games), and theres also DDR Mario Mix.

Btw. Everybody votes channel is fun IMO and i have found Weather channel to be very useful and easy to use (i also use internet a lot with Wiis internet channel).

This is correct.

I've had to buy 2 classic controllers, 2 gamecube controllers and a gamecube memory card in addition to all the Wii contollers to be able to play everything on the Wii with two players.

On the other hand, just need two PS3 controllers for the PS3/PS2/PS1/PSN games on the PS3 and no need to buy anything else to save.

Most VC games work with either the Remote, or the Gamecube controller or both.

Which games only require the Classic Controller?

Oops, sorry guys, I am personally informed wrong about the PS2 / PS saves, in that case even better! Glad someone corrected me on this one ;)

In that case it's indeed bad the WII doesn't support saves on the hard drive for the Cube games, also as I just think myself, several Cube games eat almost the entire memory card with blocks unless you have one with a lot more blocks then the standard GC Memory Cards.

 I don't think there are any. The classic controller is simply an alternative for those who don't have a GC controller or who prefer a controller which integrates better with the Wii technologically and stylistically. I really like the classic controller, and will probably use it preferentially for kicking people around in SSBB.

You didn't need to buy classic controllers. Anything you can do with a classic controller, you can do with a Gamecube controller, except for the left 'z' button on the classic controller, which no one has used anyway.

Of course, me being the good little fanboy I am, I didn't need to buy anything extra 'cause I already had a Gamecube, 4 controllers, and two of the 1019 block memory cards.

On the other hand, save games and SD card usage is my biggest complaint about the Wii. It's silly that you can only use an SD card to backup saves and VC games, instead of using it as primary storage. A real simple thing to do would be a setting in the Wii where the SD card is the primary device, and the internal memory is backup. That way, it would be transparent to Wii software, as to where the games are actually being saved.

I also bought a wii after never owning a GC, however the gamestop employee was intelligent and told me I needed a memory card and GC controllers before I walked out of the store with SSBM. I didn't mind having to buy the GC controllers that much cause they were like $10 each and I was getting two systems for only $250. Now I'm playing Harvest Moon: It's a wonderful life and tales of symphonia is next.

I agree having to use a memory card for GC saves is the thing that annoys me the most with my Wii. Apparently the reason is because every Wii contains pretty much an entire Gamecube inside, and the Gamecube parts are unable to communicate with the Wii parts (including the lovely 512mb) after they've been activated. If that's the price to pay for being the only system with 100% backwards compatibility then I'm ok with it, but it would be nice of Nintendo to include a 16mb card inside the console. It's not like they're not swimming in money at the moment.

Saying one "has to buy GC controllers, memory cards, and classic controllers" is a pretty ridiculous way of spinning the fact that the system suppports the previous gen of hardware into a bad thing. You have to spend quite a bit of money if you want access to every supported feature, but perhaps the same could be said of all.. things?