Question that's been puzzling me about Don't Tell The Bride...

Maybe they give notice before the show starts filming? Once done, it is valid for a year, even if the wedding date is postponed, so maybe there is an exception where they can give the week of the wedding but not the exact date and venue?

Also when they marry in a church, they can't have the banns read on three different weeks as they ONLY have three weeks.

I actually don't know. I'm probably talking bollocks.

You can give notice up to 2 weeks before the wedding so in their 3 week slot they would have time, as long as they get the venue sorted in time (but I can't remember if they all do or not).

Also, you can give notice closer to the wedding day with special dispensation - so maybe the producers organise that as well.

I often wonder how much thanks the Best Man gets - from the episodes I've seen it seems that the level of success is dowbn to a BM with his head screwed on!

It has also made me wonder whether I should have sent OH dress shopping. Invariably the groom picks a better frock than the brides do in the show, I think!

My final ponderance is why someone doesn't give some of the brides a slap! They are getting a free wedding in return for letting the groom organise it - so at the end of the day you are getting married (surely the important part) and with a 12k budget you would never have had - so why stress so much about it. You made the informed decision to do the show, get a grip! And really, if you don't trust them enough to do a day you will enjoy then why are you marrying the guy? How much does it really matter if it doesn't match your scrapbook of ideas, really? and if it matters that much then maybe you shouldn't do the show!

I think of the ones I've seen they have all done a fab job - the valentines one was a little hit and miss - she seemed to like it enough - but he definitely focussed no what he wanted rather than thinking about her - but they were such a sweet couple, and he did pull off a fab event in the end!

anyway, rant/ramble over! (don't get me started on 4 weddings ;o) )

There is a way of getting round the banns being read in church - something to do with registering a licence.

There was one DTTB - (the one where two blokes got married) where they got the licence on the show because I remember the bloke organising it was stressing because it looked like he wasn't going to get it in within the required 14 days before the civil ceremony to be held.

I think there is a lot you don't see on that programme though - doesn't stop me being obsessed with it having said that!

Because I suspect this is all part of the contract of getting the 12k. No one would watch it if there was no drama! Bit like the soaps I guess...

Oh yeah, I get that - it'll be the producers pushing them into dress shops and venues etc. But I'd like tio think my BMs or mum would have words if I got as worked up as some of them do.

But also, I doubt I would make it through the 'audition' process to be on such a show!

I still watch it and enjoy it, but I feel more sorry for the groom's with the pressure put on them, than the brides having no say!

I think it would be more watchable if sometimes the brides discussed the random stuff their grooms might do and laughed about it!

What I don't understand is why the couples don't secretly plan it together before they go on the show. You know, slip him the make and style of the dress you want etc. Surely it wouldn't be that difficult to play the system?!

RB - I think this happens. Or they've agreed beforehand about the 'wacky' elements and made sure that they are suitably polarised when it comes to the auditions.

I was at a 30th and the best man of the scottish bride who skydived was there and I was DYING to ask him if it was all a bit 'set up'.

Remember the Thorpe Park bride posted on here? She said she'd come back and fill us in after the episode aired.

I suppose it depends on how strict the contract is - if found out then they might loose the money or whatever.

I would like to think that even if we hadn't started properly planning the wedding as soon as we got engaged me and Oh would have had conversations about the sort of venue we'd like, church or civil, music, other things we think are cool etc....

Ah thats reality TV for you eh?

OH's cousin was asked to be on a show about couples planning a wedding abroad, but they wanted to interview her loads in the run up to the wedding, film her on the morning of the wedding, film the whole ceremony and interview them right after, and were only offered a grand or 2 for it... she decided it interferred with the day way too much. Tho said she would have done it if the cash had come closer to actually paying for the day!

I saw one where the bride decided the dress wasn't blingy enough and the budget was gone so they put a few hundred on their credit card to add crystals to the dress. The was another where the FOB was approached to pay for the drinks as the budget wouldn't stretch - so it seeems they can top up - but I guess it would go against the ethos of the show a bit to have people who already have 12k saved having a 24k wedding... seems that its more about the short timescale and groom orgabnising being the pay off for getting to have a wedding when there is no money in the bank for one.

I have seen them put a bit of money in themselves before.

Someone who posts on another forum said she had been approached to do DTTB, and she said "oh we've already organised a fair amount" and they said "no matter"! They were just going to re-film bits and tweak it etc. She didn't do it in the end but it just shows how much of it is totally fake.

I like DTTB for entertainment but it BUGS the hell out of me when people say "why do you need so long to plan a wedding, on DTTB they do it in 3 weeks" - yeah but they don't really do they?! I mean, yes you can organise a fab wedding in weeks - there are people on here who will testify to that - but you can't plan EVERY wedding in 3 weeks.

Reality tv is completely fake! My friend was on snog/marry/avoid as his wrestling personna. Anyone that knows him knows he leaves his gimmick in the ring. Anyone watching the program would have thought 'what a d$ck' if they didn't know him. In the end they transformed his 'bad' hair (which was a wig anyway!) back to his everyday hairstyle!!

Secondly my mates dad was on come dine with me. he got told to argue with a particular guest, 'for better ratings'

This is why i gave up TV!! Anything that interests me i watch online. I hate being spoon fed fake media!

What dose my head in is most people they have on an clearly afford to get married or they have been together for like 2 i think they need t change a few things also contact you if your not acepted saying why

The bit that gets me is when the bride goes to her 'dream' venue which realistically would probably be out of their price range unless they spent the whole budget on the venue and didn't bother with dresses, suits, flowers, photographer, rings etc

Completely agree with r.e I watched one last night on YouTube where he had a theme of monsters etc and she went to this beautiful venue. But that's what it was a dream venue, she didn't have to worry about price, so urgh no lady you signed up to be married in three weeks, that was booked up 18 months ago.

also brides that moan he didn't spend enough on the dress wind me up, be grateful.

Its all pre-set for drama

they have to do something stupid or wacky (pre-arranged) - this is a newer thing though the original few seasons (that wearnt as crazy) didnt do that

if the producers think its been pre-planned to much they can force you to do something else (their have been grooms that picked the exact dress and where made to change it for something else which isnt shown on tv)

and the main one is they HAVE to get married so all the drama of 'im not doing it' is put on, if the dont get married they are contractually obliged to pay back not only the £12,000 but the production fees etc... aswell

a few ex-DTTBers have got enulled right afterwards and a couple of them devorced but they have to go through with the marraige or basically go into massive debt

I never understood the 'spend 2 grand on a dress' bit... the bride often pick the ugliest dresses and moans about them needing to be more expensive, thats not reality at all no one pick a dress because of the price tag being HIGH

I actually do know people who have done it in 3 weeks (quick, cheep weddings are common round here) but they are not expensive OTT weddings like DTTB - between £300 and £2,000 normally