Four Weddings - General Discussion

[NikSac]

I don't like it when they criticize the ceremony being in a different language, or it being too long (or too short). I also don't get when they give a 5 or a 3 and the only negative they give (that we're told) is something tres small.

 

But I always thought it was a fun way to learn how to put on a wedding. You now have to think of it from your guests' point of view. I too remember going to a wedding and the bride, groom and wedding party went out for pictures; we're in a church in the middle of the suburbs so there's no cocktail hour and nothing close by; and there's hours before the reception. Before, you'd have the bride's POV that it's all about her. But now, you're thinking of brides thinking of their guests and that would result in a 5 and a loss of a cute honeymoon. I now realize that you're making guests stay out, on their feet, take care of them, give them food, etc. That's just me so I was tickled to see a bride who learned how to do weddings by watching 4 Weddings. I was so happy she won.

 

True, there are definitely two (or two dozen?) perspectives on it. I always felt like the guests came first, which is probably why I had to change plans a dozen times. I think the challenge on this show would be knowing what the "important" brides (i.e. guest brides) think. To win the prize you have to guess what these 3 people you barely know want.

[cpcathy]

Not being able to eat the food was confounding, indeed, but what about the bride who could not go into other brides' churches? Why would you sign up when you have to watch the weddings on a small TV screen in the car???

[BC Mama]

I always felt like the guests came first, which is probably why I had to change plans a dozen times. 

 

I agree. There are some things that the couple should not feel the need to compromise on (such as the religious nature of the ceremony), but when we got married our feeling was that if we wanted to make the wedding all about us, we'd have eloped! 

[cpcathy]

I don't like it when they criticize the ceremony being in a different language, or it being too long (or too short). I also don't get when they give a 5 or a 3 and the only negative they give (that we're told) is something tres small.

 

 

 

I think there are some shenanagins going on there, I've seen episodes where the brides are raving about something, the food in particular, we've seen the food hot and steaming from the steam table, then after the wedding is over they give low scores because the food was cold. I think some weddings are actually pretty good and the brides have to come up with a reason to mark it down.

[jackjill89]

My biggest pet peeve on the show -- the brides who complain about there not being enough food during the cocktail hour when there seems to be more than an adequate amount. In some cases they have much more than passed hors d'oeuvres and the brides complain about the spread. When did cocktail hours have to become full-blown mini receptions? It's just supposed to be a little something to tide you over until dinner, not something to keep you going for the whole evening. 

 

When my niece got married they had passed hors d'oeuvres during the cocktail hour, dinner and then, my favorite part: late night snacks. They came out at midnight with mini sliders, tiny pizzas and something else. They were delicious after hours of dancing and drinking. However, I wouldn't expect it at every wedding I went to or dock someone if they didn't have it on this show. 

[BradandJanet]

I had the smallest wedding possible. If I were doing it over and bigger, I would definitely focus on space and food.

[ShaNaeNae]

I know I haven't been around much this past season (I'm so sorry, I'll try to get back over here!), but today an episode of Four Weddings UK will be on. There's a bunch of episodes and it's somewhere around 4pm-5pm. I heard they are some tough brides when it comes to criticism and winning.

[auntjess]

On TLC?  Thanks for the alert, and Merry Christmas, shanaenae.
Do you ever watch true crime, or DIY? 
I'm  a Mike Holmes junkie.

[Mrs Huffnagle]

When I saw "Four Weddings UK" listed, I thought we'd see British weddings, but nope.  Four weddings with a Christmas theme.

[auntjess]

Mine just had Four Weddings listed, then "holiday" in the episode title. 

Haven't watched it yet.
 

[ShaNaeNae]

On TLC?  Thanks for the alert, and Merry Christmas, shanaenae.

Do you ever watch true crime, or DIY? 

I'm  a Mike Holmes junkie.

Merry Christmas auntjess!

 

I'm sorry I've been so absent! I let a whole season go by without discussion. I feel shame.

 

I don't ever watch True Crime or DIY. I love to read True Crime. I just started recording My Strange Criminal Life.

 

I'm so bummed, I was looking forward to Four Weddings UK and it was the holiday special. I saw tomorrow morning at 5am CST it says it again, but this time I read the description and it also says it's Christmas weddings. Bummed.

 

I'll try to come around here more, I still have stuff to say on these new rounds of brides. Nice seeing you auntjess!  Merry Christmas to you and your family!

[auntjess]

I was wondering if there will be another season, and it looks like there will be.http://www.tlc.com/tv-shows/four-weddings/about-the-show/four-weddings-casting-2014.htm
 

[NikSac]

I enjoy watching the weddings but man, yeah, some of them have gotten insanely over the top. Typically around  here anyway if there's food at cocktail hour it's pretty basic - ranging from veggies, dip, cheese, and crackers to an assortment of a couple of different fancier appetizers. If there's going to be dinner I'd never expect a full on meal at the cocktail hour too - actually I think I'd find it pretty wasteful.

 

I think the candy stations and photo booths are kind of cheesy but they do seem fun, and I like that the brides who do those are thinking of their guests.

[NikSac]

This show has suddenly been back on almost every day since last weekend, at least where I am.  I don't know if they're old or new episodes, but I'm assuming they're old episodes being re-run. I don't remember seeing them before, though.  The main one that stood out for me today was a pirate themed wedding on a boat (I would've remembered that one for sure!).  Anyone know if they just decided to put a bunch of old ones back on the air, or if there are new episodes coming soon?

[auntjess]

The ones so far, are repeats.  U-verse gives original dates.
Most I remember, but I've only been watching a few seasons.
I'd thought there was a casting call out a while ago, for a new season.
Might check later, but have kids here all day at the moment, so don't get a turn on the computer too often.

[EarlGreyTea]

I love this show. I feel as if I have found my people here.

 

My all time favorite episode is "...and a Pizza Delivery." It has become the stuff of Four Weddings legend. Older bride Julie was endlessly entertaining. Being holier than thou about not drinking and dancing, and then happily dancing at one of the other weddings? I read an article later about her that said she and her groom were chaperoned before the wedding, and didn't have sex before the wedding at the recommendation of their pastor. I guess that explained the very long kiss.

 

And desserts only?! That's fine, IMO, if the guests are told beforehand so they could eat first. But that definitely did not seem to be the case here. The pizza delivery was hilarious. And the plastic silverware and tacky decorations, plus Julie's passive aggressive comments toward Gina, one of the other brides? Priceless. I loved their poorly-disguised dislike of one another. The eventual winner, Katie, was also pretty bitchy, but her wedding at least had real food. Gina is my all time favorite bride. Love how she smacked down Julie's "fairy tale" wedding by saying there was no such thing as a fairy tale wedding and therefore there is no such thing as a fairy tale marriage.

 

The only thing that would've made this episode better would be if they charged the pizza to Julie. ;)

 

My other favorite episode was "...and a Giraffe," with the "B-L-A-N" bride. Total bitch who lowballed the other brides for absolutely no good reason. I felt awful for the bride who was called "blan" because she was a total sweetheart and actually gave one of the other brides a 10, which I've never seen before.

 

Okay, one more. "....and Dracula's Castle" had the meanest bride I've ever seen, the one with a strong lisp who paid $100k for her wedding. Her husband had the grace to look embarrassed when she was like "Did you see my wedding? DUH. I'm going to win. If they had anything negative to say, they're stupid." Such an asshole, but her venue was so gorgeous.

 

Finally, I really gotta wonder how awkward it is after the brides have seen the episode and find out the shit talking the other brides did at their wedding. No matter how much you bond with someone, I bet there's some real tension there.

Edited June 18, 2015 by EarlGreyTea

[WhitneyWhit]

I'm watching a rerun of "...and something blue" and it features my most hated bride, Danielle, she of the "icepick, toothpaste" nonsense. She was 22, but acted 12, She had something bad to say about everyone. She criticized one bride because she had an ice sculpture, criticized another for having a monogram, even though she had one, snarled her nose up and made faces at everyone's food, but the best part was the fact that she acted offended if someone even mentioned the word buffet, yet she had one during her cocktail hour. I was sorry she won. 

[autumnh]

I love this show. I feel as if I have found my people here.

 

My all time favorite episode is "...and a Pizza Delivery." It has become the stuff of Four Weddings legend. Older bride Julie was endlessly entertaining. Being holier than thou about not drinking and dancing, and then happily dancing at one of the other weddings? I read an article later about her that said she and her groom were chaperoned before the wedding, and didn't have sex before the wedding at the recommendation of their pastor. I guess that explained the very long kiss.

 

 

Okay, one more. "....and Dracula's Castle" had the meanest bride I've ever seen, the one with a strong lisp who paid $100k for her wedding. Her husband had the grace to look embarrassed when she was like "Did you see my wedding? DUH. I'm going to win. If they had anything negative to say, they're stupid." Such an asshole, but her venue was so gorgeous.

 

 

 

Marie i thought she was going to throw it down when she lost....I still have it on DVR...she was pissed lol

[cpcathy]

Unfortunately, I can't remember names but I watched a rerun the other day with some nasty, nasty brides, one was the kinky-haired "shot girl" who was furious that two other brides refused to do shots and then kept calling the same two brides boring. She used the word over and over! (one bride was red haired, beautiful, very classy, the other had a chevron theme, ringing any bells yet?) I thought shot bride was heinous and awful, even her eyes were shaped like some evil witch character.

[Lizzing]

I've been watching this show (reruns) over the past couple of weeks and, while a lot of stuff comes across as just kind of insane or petty, the one thing that never ceases to amaze me is the reaction to mashed potato bars.  I mean, from the bride's POV, I get that mashed potatoes, assorted toppings, and rented martini glasses have GOT to be pretty damn cheap cocktail hour fare.  But it seems every guest bride raves over the idea of mashed potatoes with some cheese and scallions, like the idea of mashed potatoes is suddenly a revelation worthy of Moses coming down off of a mountain.

 

I've also learned that pretty much every damn wedding I've been to has been held by serious slackers, because I have never once seen a Viennese hour.  In fact, most of the weddings I've been to only had cake, and a tiny bit of cake at that.

Edited July 5, 2015 by Lizzing

[MyAimIsTrue]

I've been watching this show (reruns) over the past couple of weeks and, while a lot of stuff comes across as just kind of insane or petty, the one thing that never ceases to amaze me is the reaction to mashed potato bars.  I mean, from the bride's POV, I get that mashed potatoes, assorted toppings, and rented martini glasses have GOT to be pretty damn cheap cocktail hour fare.  But it seems every guest bride raves over the idea of mashed potatoes with some cheese and scallions, like the idea of mashed potatoes is suddenly a revelation worthy of Moses coming down off of a mountain.

 

There was a mashed potato bar at my niece's Bat Mitzvah party earlier this year.  Being unhip I didn't realize this was a "thing" but I gotta admit it was pretty much all I ate!

[Tara1665]

Does anyone know if there will be another season? I miss this show! Happy for the reruns though!

[NikSac]

There was a mashed potato bar at my niece's Bat Mitzvah party earlier this year.  Being unhip I didn't realize this was a "thing" but I gotta admit it was pretty much all I ate!

 

I was married before this was a "thing"... back before barns, photo booths, two meals per reception (cocktail hour that is meal 1, then dinner at the reception), and all that - but I would've loved to have a mashed potato bar!  I'd want a whole bunch of different toppings and would probably serve it as a side dish on a buffet rather than a whole separate cocktail hour thing because I think two meals per wedding is nuts, but I like the idea. It seems pretty economical though, and it's nice that guests can 'customize' their food. I do realize it's kind of silly to get so gaga over mashed potatoes, but I think it's unexpected (or it was a few years ago anyway) and pretty well liked by most people.

 

The one that I don't get all the excitement over is the "make your own favor" candy bags, although that's another one that sure seems easy for the bride and potentially economical as long as they get small bags.

[Dewey Decimate]

The one that always leaves me nonplussed is when brides gush over a sundae bar. There have been a few eps aired recently (new-ish/older) where a competitor has squealed "ooooh, ice cream! hot fudge!" or "she won me over with that sundae bar!" and all the while I'm thinking, do these idiots not know about something called the supermarket? Or if you're feeling really flush, a Friendly's? I get the initial oohing and aahing over novelties that have since blossomed into overdone trends (photo/flip book booth, mashed potato bar, candy bar, etc.), but is ice cream with whipped cream and sprinkles really that interesting? The only thing I can guess is that these women have been starving themselves into wedding dresses and have huge cravings for sweets. Or maybe I'm just kind of an asshole elitist because the sundae bar reminds me of a child's birthday party. Nothing says wedding class more than hot fudge dripping messily, shared sticky ladles, sprinkles coagulating in the bottom of a moistened dish.... yummy!

[Tara1665]

I just watched the rerun of...And a red velvet funnel cake. What the heck was up with Nicole? Was she on major drugs that she couldn't tell her left hand from the right? She also stated when dancing that when the DJ said jump, she stood still or when he said turn right she turned left. Also, falling constantly during her own wedding!

[JocelynCavanaugh]

I just watched the rerun of...And a red velvet funnel cake. What the heck was up with Nicole? Was she on major drugs that she couldn't tell her left hand from the right? She also stated when dancing that when the DJ said jump, she stood still or when he said turn right she turned left. Also, falling constantly during her own wedding!

I think she has some gross motor issues. She didn't seem like she was on drugs, but reminded me of people who have developmental delays or sensory integrative disorder.

[EarlGreyTea]

Unfortunately, I can't remember names but I watched a rerun the other day with some nasty, nasty brides, one was the kinky-haired "shot girl" who was furious that two other brides refused to do shots and then kept calling the same two brides boring. She used the word over and over! (one bride was red haired, beautiful, very classy, the other had a chevron theme, ringing any bells yet?) I thought shot bride was heinous and awful, even her eyes were shaped like some evil witch character.

 

I remember that episode. I actually thought all four brides were pretty bitchy, but the shot girl was the most palatable for me. The other girls were acting pretty holier than thou about not wanting to dance, not wanting to drink, not wanting to do this or that, etc. At a wedding you're supposed to be able to drink and be merry without judgment. Although I also get that you don't want to act a fool on national TV, I still found the shot bride to be the one I'd like to party at a reception with. The others acted like it was some major faux pas to do a shot at a wedding.

[PamelaMaeSnap]

After occasionally surfing onto this show once or twice over the last few years, I needed some summer brainless TV piled up on the TiFaux and recorded 30 episodes. I've gone through about 8 so far (most recently two that included the four Jersey Shore fist-pumpers and one other, both definitely referenced in the few posts above this, with the ice cream sundae bars etc.)

 

Again, loved loved loved the Schadenfreude (hope that's right use of the word) of the low-balling grate-voiced bitch Tracy ending up in last place -- I was hot, it's a 4 ... I don't like red meat, it's a 4 ... And I can't figure out how they can possibly avoid low-balling, even though ostensibly the concept of having them rate the dress/food/venue first, second and third keeps them from putting numbers on it, they're still going to low-rank the weddings they think are their "biggest competition."

 

Definitely getting some cute ideas here and there on the off chance that when my daughter gets married she actually asks me for advice about anything. (And I can guarantee she won't have a theme or choreograph a ballroom dance or want to be on reality TV.) ... for example, I liked the mini-milkshakes at the end of the night on one episode I watched. 

 

But here is my question, and I haven't seen it directly addressed on here so far ... is it possible that the reason we don't hear about any of the couples' honeymoon plans because, aside from the fact that they probably CAN'T talk about them if they have them since they're competing for that dream honeymoon, in fact none of them have MADE honeymoon plans?  Because it involves a lot of non-refundable deposits for hotels and airfare and stuff, and if they win, I assume that's all lost ... and if they don't know if they're going to win, how can they make plans in advance?

 

Unless, of course, the so-called "honeymoon prize" can actually be used a year or two down the road as a garden variety vacation.

 

Because none of them could go right after their weddings no matter what, since they have to wait until the last wedding, right?

 

I know I should have bigger things to think about like world peace and stuff but I think about this every episode. 

[jcbrown]

 

Why do weddings have themes? Isn't "wedding" a theme?

I don't get that, either. When my husband and I finally got married 13 years ago (after being together for 9 prior to that), the theme of our wedding was "wedding." The point was for us to marry each other and to express our commitment with our family and friends. These women with the elaborate themes seems like they were denied pretty princess birthday parties in their childhood and are trying to make up for it, or something. (Of course, I neither had nor wanted those, either...)

Edited August 5, 2015 by jcbrown

[auntjess]

I don't think there's a set time for the honeymoon trip.  I know one winner, think she was pregnant, talked about planning to go "next year."

Themes do seem rather juvenile, but then a lot of the crap does---fine for people already set for life, but crazy for some who'll be wanting to buy a home.

Edited August 7, 2015 by auntjess

[RockShrimp]

I've also learned that pretty much every damn wedding I've been to has been held by serious slackers, because I have never once seen a Viennese hour.  In fact, most of the weddings I've been to only had cake, and a tiny bit of cake at that.

 

I think it's a NY/Jersey thing, where a lot of the original shows were taped. They're basically foodsplosions. 

[PamelaMaeSnap]

I wonder if "wedding themes" are a recent thing? I'm a middle-aged (okay, old, fine) and while I've been to my small share of weddings over the years, offhand I can't remember ANY themes (I should ask Mr. Snap who is a jazz musician who has been playing in several of the top local weddings bands in our area for 25 years so he's seen it all). 

 

Our wedding (in 1984) had the unofficial theme of "Open Bar! Yeah! Drink!" and a color scheme, sort of (lavender icing on the cake). 

 

I HAVE seen weddings become more personalized with special favors and stuff but no themes a la the bar/bat mitzvah trends (and, again, when I did the bar mitzvah rounds back in the 1970s in New York City, I NEVER saw a themed bar mitzvah but when my daughter was bat mitzvah in 2003, ALL of them had some sort of theme so maybe weddings picked up that trend?)

 

Oh, and we didn't go on our honeymoon until two weeks after our wedding due to scheduling conflicts with our respective jobs so I know that's not a big deal ... still, we did have to put down deposits and make plans a few months in advance ... so my guess is, indeed, that for "the wonderful opportunity of whoring out my intimate wedding on reality TV and letting three strangers bash me and my special day" I am willing to "not make any honeymoon plans because I've got a 25% chance of whatevernetworkthisisonbecausetheyareallthesametome paying my way woo hoo!"

[SugarHigh]

I'm also in the midst of the period where a lot of people my age are getting married and got married myself recently and I have to say that I don't think I've been to or seen a themed wedding yet. Color schemes? Yes, definitely. I incorporated scrabble tiles on our place cards and table numbers because that's a game we play a lot together, but it by no means was a theme for my whole wedding. I agree that TLC must think that theme = better television. I think it's nice (but not necessary) when a couple includes some personal touches, but I think most of the themes tend to end up over the top. Like I'm not into specifying what guests need to wear and I don't think your theme should over shadow that it's a day to celebrate your marriage (the super bitter bride who had a bunch of entertainers and her wedding in Dracula's castle (?) comes to mind).

Edited August 9, 2015 by SugarHigh

[NikSac]

I think there's some kind of dividing line between "theme" and "obsessive" that gets crossed and I'm not even sure where the line is. When it starts getting into having special entertainers (unless they're family or friends or something), dress codes for guests beyond the basic "it's a day wedding/evening wedding" etc. it just gets to be too much. It probably is more exciting for TLC to have the dramatic weddings, though.

 

Plus, they have to pick decent themes. The best weddings (un-themed) I've been to generally involved guests being comfortable, food was good, DJ was good... it made them weddings I enjoyed but probably not good TV.  The last wedding I went to was themed but it sucked for guests.

[Kiddvideo]

For those of you who remember that cheating bitch Danielle "My fiancé is the only man I've been faithful to" Rothweiler, she was the event planner for a wedding on Vanderpump Rules.

Things did not go well, lol. Here's the bride's blog post on Bravo, http://www.bravotv.com/vanderpump-rules/season-3/blogs/scheana-marie/scheana-it-ended-up-being-a-perfect-night.

The episode aired in February (ep 16) and there's some discussion about her in the Vanderpump Rules thread though no one recognized her from Four Weddings.

Edited August 10, 2015 by Kiddvideo

[NowVoyager]

My other favorite episode was "...and a Giraffe," with the "B-L-A-N" bride. Total bitch who lowballed the other brides for absolutely no good reason. I felt awful for the bride who was called "blan" because she was a total sweetheart and actually gave one of the other brides a 10, which I've never seen before.

I caught this episode today. The "B-L-A-N. Bland" moment was comedy gold. I was glad the mean girl came in dead last. Hopefully, the other three brides took her negativity for what it was---gamesmanship.

I wasn't paying strict attention, so I missed some of the show & most of the wedding budgets. (I think that's hugely important to consider when you're judging the weddings & I hate that they only show it once per show.) But, I loved the winning bride's wedding. It had everything: gorgeous couple, heartfelt ceremony, good food & a fun atmosphere. I was touched that the one bride gave her a "10." I've never seen that before either.

[Turkeypotpie]

I caught this episode today. The "B-L-A-N. Bland" moment was comedy gold. I was glad the mean girl came in dead last. Hopefully, the other three brides took her negativity for what it was---gamesmanship.

I wasn't paying strict attention, so I missed some of the show & most of the wedding budgets. (I think that's hugely important to consider when you're judging the weddings & I hate that they only show it once per show.) But, I loved the winning bride's wedding. It had everything: gorgeous couple, heartfelt ceremony, good food & a fun atmosphere. I was touched that the one bride gave her a "10." I've never seen that before either.

Longtime lurker here... I watched the Giraffe ep today, not realizing it was the one with the B L A N bride often mentioned on here. I kept thinking how critical she was and was so excited when I finally heard that quote! Now if only I could catch the Draculas Castle ep you guys have talked about...

[autumnh]

OMG! The steak was THE best I ever had...but the asparagus was bland...

 

 

Well as a produce farmer...ALL veggies are bland unless you season them.

 

I truly, truly believe that the in their talking heads the producers goad them into making ridiculous claims,

[PamelaMaeSnap]

Oh Kara the bitch prison bitch who resembles a bulldog? Love that episode. The 2 girls were bitches to the shy but demure red head. What's funny is you know how they show like a minute of getting ready for the wedding before the wedding? It was her (bulldog) and her dad getting out of an old car at the chapel and you can hear him, "now Kara, remember, he comes from a good family...".

 

There was another episode where it was like 3 Latin brides and 1 blonde.  All 3 Latina's ganged up on the blonde and were total bitches to her and low balled her. When one won, another one said at the end, "well, I didn't win, but as long as it wasn't Jessica (the blonde) who won, I don't care who did". As far as I could tell, Jessica never did anything to them. One of the girls was like an hour and a half late and showed up with nasty 90's curls.

 

Yeah it looks like the bride coming down from the ceiling is also the one that says it's not a circus theme, but is actually a circus.

 

I know you wrote this over a year ago, but I am just bingewatching a whole TiFaux'ed bunch of episodes and this one ("... and a Talking Orchid") was on and after it ended I had to come here just to post ... and to check if others had commented on it earlier. I mean, I have seen a LOT of bitchiness, veiled or otherwise (ha! unintentional pun!) on this show but I don't think I have EVER seen someone actually say "as long as so-and-so didn't win, I'm fine." 

 

I mean, granted, Jessica did come off as pretty rich-girl yacht-club snotty and who knows how she treated the other three girls (were they all Latina? I wasn't sure about barefoot girl who won), but still, Ruby, show SOME klass (and I'm sure she assumed off camera that she only finished last (I don't remember seeing someone with that low a score in a long time) because hers was the least costly. 

 

But even before that comment, Ruby was pretty awful ... "I'm giving her a 5 because she was barefoot ... I'm giving HER a 5 because her bridesmaids wore different pairs of shoes." I mean, footwear-obsessed much? And then being an hour late (because she didn't like how her hair looked the FIRST time? Yow). But her husband was a cutie. And her DAD (and grandfather?) walking her down the aisle was adorable too. I'm wondering if her bitter bitter bitterness was a reaction to realizing that she was being very much outgunned from the get-go. For a DYI, I thought she did a great job ... just that bitter bitchiness turned me.

 

In fact, overall, this may have been the most low-balling bunch of beeyotches in a long time.

 

Okay. I've got 12 more episodes and am pretty much La-Z-Boy bound for the next few days after spending yesterday in the ER ... so good times ahead! Ahoy Nauti Cups!

[Lady Iris]

Where has this show gone? I'm not a huge reality show person but I can't get enough of this one. Does anybody know if new eps are returning or if its been cancelled by TLC?

[Guatemama3641]

Where has this show gone? I'm not a huge reality show person but I can't get enough of this one. Does anybody know if new eps are returning or if its been cancelled by TLC?

I'm right there with you. I miss this show. C'mon TLC, you can spare one of your 900 pound 1/2 tree person shows and bring this one back!

[hoosier80]

Just caught a rerun (TLC seems to be running a mini marathon this afternoon).  The last episode was with one bride who had a Halloween themed wedding, the over the top wedding (floor/steps came out onto the dance floor area for the bride/groom's entrance), a community college DIY wedding, and a more traditional Italian themed wedding.

The chick with the over the top wedding (Heather) bitched at every other wedding.  Oh cheese and crackers are a no no at a wedding.  They had cheese, fruit, veggies, with what looked like a few other things.  Oh she didn't like the Halloween theme, didn't like this or that dress......girl couldn't go with the flow if her life depended upon it.  At her wedding it was one of these over the top deals; there was so much food during the cocktail hour that the guests were too full for the actual dinner.  Most of the others said yes, everything was excellent, but it was too much.  I'm wondering if she didn't increase everything for the show (she said she was competitive).  I didn't care for Heather one bit.  The DIY bride said the Catholic ceremony was too long.  Hey, honey, the ceremony isn't for you - it's for the bride and groom, whatever their faith or beliefs, so suck it up buttercup.  The other two brides seemed nicer, with the traditional Italian bride the nicest.  Of course, one I didn't like win.  I will say looking at all the food did make me hungry.  

[Love2dance]

Watched the Marathon today. OK, I know this has to have been said before, but how can a $3000 wedding be competing with a $30,000 one? $30,000 with $100,000?  I love seeing the various styles of weddings, DIY to extravagant. I just hate for it to be an impossibly unfair contest. The rich bride wins the honeymoon way too often.

[auntjess]

I did watch "happy birthday, America." 
On that one, the expensive bride won, but she was nice, and the bitch lost.
I wish this show would come back, but it's been several years now, and they're running those crappy arranged marriages, and now teen brides.

[Almost 3000]

On ‎7‎/‎2‎/‎2016 at 9:22 PM, Love2dance said:

Watched the Marathon today. OK, I know this has to have been said before, but how can a $3000 wedding be competing with a $30,000 one? $30,000 with $100,000?  I love seeing the various styles of weddings, DIY to extravagant. I just hate for it to be an impossibly unfair contest. The rich bride wins the honeymoon way too often.

and this is why I always think they should add another voting category. Something like "Best Bang for the Buck" or "Money Best Spent."

[tenativelyyours]

I remember seeing a short series in the UK (or maybe it was from Ireland?) that was the same idea but a bit broader and did it as events instead of weddings. Though I think there were ten episodes and eight of them were competing weddings.

 

The judges were event planners who interviewed the contestants as if they were clients but were not allowed to talk budget.  Just themes and what they hoped to execute.  The judges were more unbiased since they did not have a dog in the fight and the tipping point was to have them, as part of the judging, guess what they spent on the event.  By whatever the judges were over, they got so many points added to their score and by whatever they were under they lost points.  Which factored in the bang for the buck.  The show was horribly produced and lacked the flow this one can have.  But it also took some of the snark away that I'm sure American producers love, but I find really distasteful since, even on the most basic level as determined by the rules, you have three women going on camera trashing the person whose guest they just were on what is usually a very important day in that person's life. 

 

I don't mind the criticism if it is valid, but I hate the whole ignorant sneering because another person dares have different tastes, wants, and ideas about what is "her" (and his) .  Just because it is something I would not do doesn't make it a point of demerit or deduction.  It is just different.  I wonder what the statistics are for the number of times as the show's seasons progressed if the bride that seems most open and most determined to enjoy herself at the others events ends up being the winner.   I think some of those women who take such delight in others delights is going going to stand out as such in the moment and possibly play a part in how the others cast their points.  

[Lola16]

Happy Birthday America drunk bride was on again recently - cringetastic!

I also like the low budget bride, 2nd marriage for both, who had her reception in a church hall --- that was across a busy 2 line road in Texas. She served Bar-B-Q from her favorite take-out place. The other brides really weren't thrilled but they all loved the bride so much that they held their tongues.

One I hadn't seen before was where the 3 brides decided not to stand in line at the cocktail hour for the food, they go grab drinks and go outside, when they come back, all the food is gone and a waiter brings them a tray of saltines which they shove fistfuls into their mouths.

[jcbrown]

I have been watching reruns of this when TLC airs them most days. I was lucky enough to catch the BLAN bride recently, "B-L-A-N." It was a San Francisco one and most of the brides were perfectly nice except for her. Nice surprise to catch her bitchiness again. It was one where one of the weddings was at the San Francisco zoo.

[auntjess]

Can't see why they'd cancel this, unless sending crews out cost more than marrying people to strangers, or to Cody.

[hoosier80]

Watching what I assume is a rerun today.  I've never seen it before, but the location is in Arizona or at least it's in the southwest somewhere.  The brides are all waiting for the groom to get out of the limo, and there's cacti all over the place with sand (looks almost like they dropped the brides at the side of a road in the middle of nowhere).  Anyhow, I think every bride had an outdoor ceremony, and some had everything outside.  At the first wedding, themed as an old Hollywood wedding, everyone was complaining about how hot it was.  I can't think that was a shocker, given where they were.  Not sure why they'd all want outdoor ceremonies given that it could be hotter than hell there (a lot of the time).  One had an outdoor reception, under the stars, which looked pretty, except there were bugs all over the place.  They had a bonfire and a log rolled off the pile as one of the brides was trying to toast her marshmallow.  Of course, she said she had to take points off for that.  I hate that, like something happens the bride couldn't control and 'oh, I have to take off points for that'.   She couldn't have taken off too many points, because I think that couple won?? (I'm half watching as I work from home today).

Totally agree about the happy hour and the 'not enough food' comment.  I've seen it go the other way where there was a lot of food, and then some brides complained that there was too much food.  

You can tell that some make snide comments or pick at everything because they want to win.