Reel or Real: Rumors, Conspiracy Theories, and Behind the Scenes Shenanigans

[Jane Tuesday]

I feel like there is so much to unpack from this show, and it probably fits best in its own thread. 🙂

[Jane Tuesday]

From the same photographer, there are galleries of all the weddings, minus Amber and Barnett. (Not sure if someone else did theirs, or they're just not on the site for some reason.)

Apparently Kelly/Kenny and Jessica/Mark had sit-down conversations after that weren't shown. And Jessica had a bouquet and belt that vanished between the dressing room and the ceremony. 

https://www.lajoyphotography.com/

[Angeleyes]

https://people.com/tv/love-is-blind-helped-2-more-couples-get-engaged-why-netflix-didnt-show-their-stories/

[aradia22]

Wait, WHAT? Is she suggesting that Giannina and Damian got back together?

Thanks, I hate it.

[Jane Tuesday]

Photos from Amber and Barnett's wedding.  Shocking - I see NO signs of hesitation on Barnett's part, just huge smiles all around from him and his family.

http://www.mylesberrio.com/netflix-wedding-2020

(I'm also glad to see the flower girls and wedding party got to actually do something.  It seemed so pointless to have them all there, just sitting halfway back in the audience.  lol)

[Kromm]

4 hours ago, aradia22 said:

Wait, WHAT? Is she suggesting that Giannina and Damian got back together?

Thanks, I hate it.

I just saw an Entertainment Tonight interview that makes it clear they've never been apart. They just didn't get married. 

Edited February 29, 2020 by Kromm

[aradia22]

Quote

Photos from Amber and Barnett's wedding. 

So cute. Damn it. Stop making me believe in love. 🤣

[Angeleyes]

I’m curious as to what all went on in the pods that we were not shown. The People Magazine article shows that the producers allowed them to send things to each other like food and Lincoln logs and even decorated a pod for a guy as a surprise from a girl.  Anyone else surprised that some couple didn’t get freaky while talking to each other? I wonder what other requests the contestants made for the producers in the pods?

[Jane Tuesday]

Vanessa Lachey confirms those who got engaged were obligated to follow through to the altar.

[CarobCake]

13 hours ago, Angeleyes said:

I’m curious as to what all went on in the pods that we were not shown. The People Magazine article shows that the producers allowed them to send things to each other like food and Lincoln logs and even decorated a pod for a guy as a surprise from a girl.  Anyone else surprised that some couple didn’t get freaky while talking to each other? I wonder what other requests the contestants made for the producers in the pods?

It's so weird that those things didn't make it into the episodes... it would've been good tv. The getting freaky thing: the permanent video camera might have been a deterrent, lol.

[Angeleyes]

49 minutes ago, luvenan said:

It's so weird that those things didn't make it into the episodes... it would've been good tv. The getting freaky thing: the permanent video camera might have been a deterrent, lol.

There have been some on Big Brother that didn’t mind being exhibitionists. Never doubt how low a fame ho can go to seek attention. 

[Jane Tuesday]

This seems very plausible. As soon as I saw that she went first and said no, I assumed he also was going to say no. (Since all the other couples, the "sure bet" went first, for max drama.)

And I really love the idea that they did the reception anyway. Their families were so sweet! 

[DearEvette]

Not at all surprised by the revelation re: Kelly and Kenny.  I began to suspect as much when I read that they were required to make it to the altar and only then could they bail if they wanted to.

I mean, think about it, you can be as attached as you want to be before you meet, but what if that doesn't hold up after the in-person meet? So if you come out of the pods and meet your fiance and you really are not attracted to them, then what?  I mean you get a great trip to Mexico and you have to corral your friends and family into this but what if you both decide early on that you just don't want to get married?  How do you make it believable?  This is K&K in a nutshell.

[Angeleyes]

Plus, it was even harder for K&K because they were sent home and only got roped into coming back after Diamond and Carlton’s relationship imploded. They lost the momentum of the intimacy that the pods created by the time they got to Mexico. If they had already decided not to marry, it had to be hard to come back and pretend that they might marry. 

[Angeleyes]

@DearEvette I’m bringing over this article you posted in the media thread where Rory tells us how the pod dating works.  
 

https://www.buzzfeed.com/elliewoodward/love-is-blind-contestant-how-dating-really-worked-secrets

 

From this article we know

15 guys/15 girls (not sure why a lot of the press for the show says 20 or why we may only get 20 on the reunion special)

They began with 15 dates then producers cut their list down to 8 then eventually 2

once they got down to 2 people the dates got longer

The contestants had 10 days from beginning of dating to get engaged 

 

[aradia22]

Quote

The contestants had 10 days from beginning of dating to get engaged 

I know they had a limited budget, but this is wild. My impression was that it was going to be a lot of time in the pods. Then the first time they saw each other would be a make or break moment (like The Voice). And then they would just follow the couples to the wedding day to see if they went through with it.

It seems like they just had people rush to pair up in the pods. No one got rejected the first time the contestants saw their new fiance(e)s. And then the drama was around the wedding day. 

[DearEvette]

On 2/28/2020 at 7:48 PM, Kromm said:

I just saw an Entertainment Tonight interview that makes it clear they've never been apart. They just didn't get married. 

I have a conspiracy theory about Gia because honestly, there were times when she came off as really scripted. 

The irrational blow ups, the manufactured arguments,  and the entire dramatic aftermath of her aborted wedding, just all felt put on and fake to me.  I cam away from the show feeling like  she studied every reality show 'breakout' character -- you know the one who everyone talks about?  The provocateur, the loud messy one, the one that gives that oft-repeated sound bite, the villain.   And decided to put on that persona for the show.

She might have succeeded at being the breakout character of the show except, imo, she doesn't have the stomach to commit to being a real villain and being really disliked on social media.

But more importantly, she couldn't have forseen the romance of Cameron and Lauren that seemed to resonate with authenticity for so many viewers or Jessica -- who gave us the one-two punch of being both the hot mess and the villain.  And with no effort whatsoever.

I also think she & Damian may have thought the rest of the couples would actually get married, and so may have thought they'd be the only ones who would deliver the shock of dumping at the altar.  Based on interviews given by Lauren/Cameron and Amber/Barnett, they had no clue until they watched the show themselves what was really going on inside the relationships of the other couples.  When they were all together, every couple acted all loved-up!  So I could see why they'd think that.  Even from a viewer standpoint, I would have guessed only Jessica/Mark would not have made it.  Kelley and Kenny calling it off at the altar was a complete surprise.  So that was also a miscalculation on her part as well.

 

[aradia22]

Quote

She might have succeeded at being the breakout character of the show except, imo, she doesn't have the stomach to commit to being a real villain and being really disliked on social media.

But more importantly, she couldn't have forseen the romance of Cameron and Lauren that seemed to resonate with authenticity for so many viewers or Jessica -- who gave us the one-two punch of being both the hot mess and the villain.  And with no effort whatsoever.

I think you called it perfectly. G kept backpedaling and awkwardly trying to make it seem like her fight-starting was coming from genuine issues. If you want to be that girl, you need to say "I'm not here to make friends" and go in swinging. Villains own their villainy. If anything, Amber was a more typical villain at the start when she laid claim to Barnett. 

Yeah, Jessica (unintentionally) outdid her, no question.

[Angeleyes]

Rory posted behind the scenes photos of his proposal to Danielle.