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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask about Don't tell the Bride

59 replies

Herculesfan · 02/08/2017 22:12

Does anyone know anyone that's been on Don't tell the Bride?

I'm just watching the latest episode and am really curious about the rate of divorce after the show. So many of the lads seem such knobs

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MyPatronusIsAUnicorn · 02/08/2017 22:16

I don't but I'm intrigued. There has been threads about it on here before and I'm sure they aren't allowed to talk about their experiences. I'm sure I read the awful Vegas one didn't last long, understandably. Also that if they don't go through with the wedding, they have to hand the money back. Apparently the producers will also make things start to go wrong if it's all running smoothly or will feed back certain information to create conflict and will edit it to make brides look like spoilt brats when they really aren't.

Herculesfan · 02/08/2017 22:18

None of that suprises me really, I assumed the production team creates some level of drama- also more recent seasons they seem to be much more ridiculous.

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MrsG841 · 02/08/2017 22:25

A girl i was at school with was on dttb

They are stl married 4 years later and have 2 children 😊

Tealdeal747 · 02/08/2017 22:28

The one tonight is awful.

I hope for her sake she's divorced within a year.

MyPatronusIsAUnicorn · 02/08/2017 22:29

I admit that's why I gave up with it. In the beginning you had the odd normal wedding or they generally weren't too outlandish but then they got more and more ridiculous and it became way OTT, like a lot of reality programmes really.

AccrualIntentions · 02/08/2017 22:30

I do, they're still very happily married Smile

AccrualIntentions · 02/08/2017 22:30

(They were an early series, so it wasn't that OTT)

UsedToBeAPaxmanFan · 02/08/2017 22:32

About 3 years ago one of my colleague's daughters was on it. She came across as a spoilt brat and we all felt really sorry for her husband but didn't dare admit that to our colleague! As far as I know they are still married but I think she's hard work.

Herculesfan · 02/08/2017 22:39

I do think probably they are often portrayed very differently to how they actually are but was just curious

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lastqueenofscotland · 02/08/2017 22:50

The one tonight is bizarre...

There was one with a couple with loads of tattoos who was a controlling dickhead.
The vegas one was awful.
There was one where they had been together for 10 months??

gallicgirl · 02/08/2017 22:56

Not something I watch regularly but I've seen some where they don't even get married. I think the venues aren't licensed or they can't get a celebrant so have to do the legal bit on a different day. I like to think it's the equivalent of a cooling off period for long distance sales. The program definitely seems to attract people who either value a wedding more than marriage or who aren't ready to be married.

However, as car crash TV goes, it's one of my favourites. Grin

Guepe · 02/08/2017 23:03

I do think probably they are often portrayed very differently to how they actually are but was just curious
Yeah, the producers allegedly set up traps for the groom (insisting they're not allowed to contribute towards the hen do, then handing the bride a bill at the do, just to create drama).

The groom also doesn't get a final say over any of the purchases - the producers do. Apparently they've vetoed nice ideas in the past.

Also, the groom has to give an idea of their dream wedding at the start of the process and are not allowed to deviate from it. The Vegas guy probably had no idea how financially unworkable it would be, but was contractually obliged to follow through.

Whilst it is 'reality', the show is designed to create drama.

gabsdot · 02/08/2017 23:03

I know 2 couples who have been on the Irish version of Don't tell the Bride.
One couple did split up a couple of years later but are back together now. Their episode portrayed them perfectly and their wedding was very nice in the end.
The other couple are still together and their wedding was nice too. My mother is friends with the groom's mother and she was shocked that her 2 son's (groom and Best man) managed to put together such a lovely wedding.

Guepe · 02/08/2017 23:03

I still enjoy it though Grin

sonjadog · 02/08/2017 23:03

There was one a few years back where the wedding was in a night club and the groomsman seemed in love with the groom himself. The groom seemed such an immature knob and the bride seemed lovely. I've wondered from time to time what became of them...

rachrach2 · 02/08/2017 23:05

I know of a couple from an early season (sat with them at a mutual friend's wedding) who are still happily married 6/7 years later. Like a pp said though - the early seasons were pretty normal weddings by just groom planning.

ItsNachoCheese · 02/08/2017 23:08

I liked the one where the groom made his bride skydive at strathallan then had the reception at kirkintilloch miners club complete with xmas theme and cat toilet seats 😂

Herculesfan · 02/08/2017 23:09

The irish ones don't seem quite as dramatized either. I've watched them too, they were often quite nice (I seem to remember the first ever one being in Croke Park?)

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Namechangetempissue · 02/08/2017 23:14

A lot of it is set up by producers as mentioned earlier in this thread. It has actually ended up ruining the show -it's just fucking stupid now. The early programs were great and mainly genuine but now it's so obviously bollocks. Shame!

Beadieeye · 02/08/2017 23:17

Yes. It was a few years ago and they are still together and happy. He is very eccentric and she's more reserved. This was about the time the producers cottoned onto how popular the show was and started casting grooms whose ideas had to go against the grain a bit or they wouldn't make the show. Lots of people say, 'surely the couple must've spoken before hand about what the bride would want'...well yes, but the producers make them do pretty much the opposite or push them into madcap decisions, it's all written in the contract. The earlier series were more 'real'.

NewPapaGuinea · 02/08/2017 23:17

You'd have to be pretty naive to go on that show and expect the producers to NOT create conflict somewhere.

hotcrossbun83 · 02/08/2017 23:18

FOF runs a wedding dress shop and was approached to help the groom pick a dress. They filmed the bride trying on dresses first in a different shop, then the producers came in and removed all the dresses like the one the bride liked so the groom was set up to fail. FOF pulled out as she thought it was so unfair (and didn't want the bride slagging off her dresses on tv)

Aliveinwanderland · 02/08/2017 23:18

Tonight's couple are still together. I went to school with them.

Herculesfan · 02/08/2017 23:25

I think the show was better when it seemed a bit more real... it's gotten to a point where it's so obviously the producers looking for drama that it's not very good anymore (still watch it though!). There were some actually really good weddings at the beginning before they started trying to make them ridiculous.

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Catra · 02/08/2017 23:29

Yes, I know a couple who got married on the show in Series Two. She came across as incredibly controlling and ungrateful and faced a huge backlash after it was aired.
I wasn't surprised at all when the marriage didn't last - I think the producers portrayed her pretty accurately by all accounts.
9 years on he is now happily remarried with DC. I have no idea what became of her.