April 2011
The wedding rage is upon us. It has been for some time. Back in 2006, on a Sunday in July, WE Television ran an episode of “Bridezillas” that ranked as one of the networks highest rated original TV series in the network’s cable history. This, just 3 years after the premier of the show. Wedding reality TV has become somewhat of a craze. There is rarely a customer who walks into our showroom that doesn’t use the term ‘bridezilla’ in some context. “I’m not a bridezilla” or “She is a real bridezilla.” And without question we all know what the word means whether Webster recognizes it or not.
I switch channels and walk through the showroom. I over hear “I feel like I’m watching ‘Say Yes to the Dress’” from a customer who has accompanied her daughter on her wedding dress excursion. Because I am not a wedding reality TV regular, I sometimes feel as though I am missing something, as my customers and employees chatter about last night’s episode. I have to remind myself that we are actually the reality. But still I am curious.
So I find myself waking early one morning. I scheduled a date with youtube.com to check out what all the chatter is about and ironically, to see if I could possibly by missing something that I think I live. I wonder if I will learn something. I wonder if I, too, will become an addict, and admittedly I wonder if they could possibly have one up on us when I watch “Say Yes to the Dress”. I park at the computer and begin watching. I feel the addiction start to tease me. I challenge myself. I know which dress is right for that bride and I want to tell her. I do not even have to look at the dress. I just need to see her face. I get heated and want to speak through the TV… “you can’t have everyone’s approval… you cannot let a 5 and 7 year old choose your dress… and you look so beautiful your eyes lit up when you put that on.” Then I decide to save it for the showroom. I feel proud, in a sense, because I am confident in the expertise we possess as an established and reputable bridal salon. I am reassured that my staff is amazing. They council, they guide, they listen and they lead. It is a gift that I am grateful for. In some of the situations I say to myself, Tamy should be helping that bride, she would understand her situation… or Maryellen would know what dress to pick. So in the end, I decide, I am not missing out on the reality TV wedding craze. My showroom is the reality. Though, I can relate to the obsession.
In the end, I decided to research the available wedding television shows available just to insure that using the word obsession or craze was justified. I was quite surprised to find 24!!. This does not include the newly launched prime time show “Shedding for the Wedding” that airs at 9/8c every Wednesday night on CW network. I peruse the titles and realize that I do not have the time to watch every one. The titles alone are enough to intrigue me and put a smile on my face. Who knows, maybe I’ll start a new blog series and critique them one by one? But first, I have a business to run. Oh and for your viewing pleasure, here is the list of shows that I came up with… just in case you’ve missed one!
“Amazing Wedding Cakes”, “Bridal Bootcamp”,“Bridezillas”, “Buff Brides”, “ Bulging Brides”, “Engaged and Underage”, “Four Weddings”, “Get Married”, “I Propose”, “Married Away”, :My Big Fat Fabulous Wedding”, “My Big Redneck Wedding”, “My Fair Wedding”, “Platinum Weddings”, “Rich Bride Poor Bride”, “Rock the Reception”, “Rules of Engagement”, “Say Yes to the Dress”, “Shedding for the Wedding”, “The Real Wedding Crashers”, “ The Wedding Bells”,“ A Wedding Story”, “Til Death”, “Wedding SOS”, “Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?”
