TLC

A Reality TV Bride Tells All: why I said “yes.”

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When my then fiancé, and I announced that our wedding was going to be taped for a TLC reality show, people were more than a little surprised.  Everyone was convinced we were adding to an already stressful time.  In fact, saying “yes” to TLC was one of our best decisions. Let me tell you why.

The last weeks before the wedding were a whirlwind.  There was one oasis: shooting the show. Stephen and I spent two hours talking and “being cute” together.  We walked down a street near the beach hand in hand, trailed by a camera, giggling. We sat on a beautiful, sunny,  patio, reading to each other. We talked about how we fell in love.  That afternoon was a brief shelter from the crazy wedding planning storm: we got to reconnect, and remember that under the tulle and the tablecloths, was our unique love story.

The bride and groom, showcasing our use of succulents in a bridal bouquet and boutonniere
incidentally, showcasing our use of succulents in a bridal bouquet and boutonniere

I treasure those two hours, every moment.  The lights, the cameras, and the questions that reminded me why I had said “yes.”

Note – Credit where credit is due: I got, hands down, the most amazing hair and make-up team in Southern California.  Dana and her team from Design Visage in Orange County made me feel like a movie star. Thanks ladies!

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Toddling Down The Aisle (Tiara optional): Flower Girl Fails and Finding a Way Around Them

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Toddlers and Tiaras on TLC, like many of their shows, can be compared to a train wreck.  It’s horrifying, but you can’t look away.  The little terrors strutting the T&T stage got us to thinking about a common wedding problem: the Flower Girl Fail. They come in several forms

  •  The Wee One: She’s somebody’s niece, and she’s simply too young. She’s destined to get halfway down the aisle and either scream for mom, or announce over Pachabel’s Canon that she’s made “a wee” in her new tights.  Avoid this one by staying with kids 5 and over.
  • The Ham: Need we explain? She’s a scene stealer – and this is your movie.  They’re fine being cute down the aisle, but then they should be whisked away to the back of the ceremony space.  Avoid leaving them at the front to pull focus with a little dance or other mischief.

    A special moment with the flower girls- they might remember it forever, or might go in one ear and out the other.
    A special moment with the flower girls- they might remember it forever, or might go in one ear and out the other.
  • The Wallflower:  She’s adorable – the picture perfect flower girl – but she’s scared to death and doesn’t really want to do it.  The solution? Don’t make her.  There’s always an enthusiastic little one somewhere in the mix – there’s no need to put anyone in therapy over some petals.

So there you have it – three Flower Girl Fails and how to avoid them.  The most important thing is to remember you’re dealing with a kid, and to be patient.  And be sure to tune into the best TLC train wreck…I mean reality show…we’ve seen lately, “My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding.”

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