Friday, January 7, 2011

TLC's four weddings

so of course, i had to give more commentary about wedding porn! TLC's four weddings is another one of my guilty pleasures. not every event documented via the show is platinum level or high-end. but first and foremost, i'm a lover of love - and it's another opportunity to witness four couples in love. there's not as much drama as found on some of the other, older shows, yet it's still good to see how different personalities are expressed through events. so buckle up and let's embark on the ride of the season premiere!

kally's wedding:
greek chic wedding, 175 guests, $60,000 budget. the judges

notice immediately that there's a train near by that goes by every 3-5 minutes. the church was
gorgeous! the ceremony was in greek, which distracted the judges who counted the train going by a total of 8 times. culture brought into the wedding ceremony and reception is wonderful. however, it helps to be mindful of the guests who may not be familiar with your cultural traditions. you can explain the traditions and why you chose to include them in your program.

kally's reception began with a wonderful cocktail hour - offering hot and cold foods. however, there was a view of the reception room, which eliminated the element of surprise for the guests. as far as food: beyond the roasted pig with a cigar, googly eyes and sunglasses, some of the judges struggled with the food, including the first course which was lobster bisque in a bread bowl, with a small lobster sticking out! thankfully, the guests did really enjoy the venue and participated in the traditional greek dance. for overall experience, kally's wedding fared about average.

kitty's wedding:
sentimental serenade; 420 guests; $45,000 budget.

kitty's gown was made by her aunt and she wore her mother's veil. as a surprise to her soon-to-be husband, she recorded a song she wrote for him to serenade him as she walks down the aisle. while it was a beautiful and sentimental ceremony, the cocktail hour was in a very crowded space and there didn't appear to be enough food.





additionally, the judges seemed to be bothered with the fact that the wedding took place really late in the evening on Sunday. for kicks and giggle,s one judge-bride decided to rally the others on the floor for the bouquet toss. thinking they were safe to hide in the back, they are mortified when the most dramatic actually catches to bouquet. boy is she in for a "treat" when the guy who catches the garter, places it on her leg... kitty's wedding scores not as well as the others...

danielle's wedding:
fairy princess fantasy; 90 guests; $30,000 budget.

taking place at a vineyard, danielle's wedding begins with a ceremony inside of a tent with minimal decorations which included an arch with grapes. after the entrance of the bridesmaids, ushers rolled out the aisle runner, cut, and tape during the processional. as a show of unity, they blended two wines and drank from the cup. a very cute and unique idea that worked well with the location and overall theme. there's a 21 year age difference between danielle and her groom, which the officiant points out that in dog years, they're "only 3 years apart"!

guests are directed outside of the tent for the cocktail hour where the bride-judges discussed the simplicity of danielle's dress. there were limited options for the cocktail hour which included only cold options. and the weather wasn't the best for being outdoors. while dining, the guests enjoy a 12 piece orchestra and guests can swing dance! once again, a guest-judge caught the bouquet! thankfully, the gentleman was a bit more polite. danielle's wedding fared about average...

dawn's wedding:
winter wonderland; 135 guests; $45,000 budget.

immediately the guests are greeted with place cards that are held with an ornament. there was beautiful lighting in the ceremony space. the vows weren't traditional at all, and they stayed true to their individual and couple personalities. the judge-brides didn't all appreciate the authenticity of the vows. the cocktail hours was full of various cuisines. while there was a variety, the space was very crowded.

the reception room was very nicely decorated with lighting and decor... and a choreographed first dance was a hit, despite the fact the bride and groom both had chewing gum in their mouths. the judge brides were impressed with the portion sizes of the food served for the main course, but disappointed in the seasoning (or lack thereof). overall, dawn's wedding scored about average.

so with all the weddings scoring about average (5-7) who stood out? who won? each one was certain their wedding was the best. they had to rank the other weddings not just for "overall experience" but also for food, dress and venue. whose groom will step out of the limo?
the wedding with best scores all around is: kitty and walter! while she may have had the lowest overall experience score (13 points out of a possible 30); she scored a perfect score for her handmade gown and great scores for her venue and food (both receiving 22 out of 30). they won a honeymoon to... Sicily, Italy!

2nd - kally's wedding / 3rd - dawn's wedding / 4th - danielle's wedding


unfortunately, not all of the brides have enough class to lose gracefully. if you watched this episode or catch an airing... you'll know what i'm talking about. it's just sad to see once the weddings are over and marriages have begun that some "bridezilla" qualities aren't that at all, but rather some people are just down right mean! if you caught the episode, feel free to call us and we'll help you incorporate any ideas you liked into your event!

1 comment:

mackyton said...

Hey, that sounds great. I liked reading through this post. Even I would be marrying soon and we both have decided to go with the rustic theme for our winter wedding. It would be held at the most suitable event space Chicago that I am going to book from an online portal.