Wonderfully Awful: Do You Take This Woman to be Your Wife…After This Commercial Break?
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a blogumn by Robin Rosenzweig
As I continue to plan my upcoming nuptials, I’m getting to that point where anything and everything wedding-related that I see interests me. I already mentioned my obsession with Say Yes to the Dress in a previous blog. And that’s all well and good, but now I may have sunk to a new low. Despite having never watched an episode of the Jason Mesnick season of The Bachelor, I still felt an overwhelming need to see The Bachelor: Jason and Molly’s Wedding (and insisted that my fiancé watch it with me…I’m terrible).
For the uninitiated or pop culture deficient, two seasons ago on The Bachelor – in the most shocking conclusion yet – Jason Mesnick gave his final rose to Melissa Rycroft but then called backsies on After the Final Rose and dumped her on TV so he could get together with runner up Melissa Mulaney. A year and a half later, they got married – becoming only the second couple in 14 seasons of The Bachelor and 5 seasons of The Bachelorette to tie the knot.
Now, as a bride-to-be myself, I’m not really watching this because I’m all sentimental about love and marriage and junk. I’m watching to see (and be jealous of) the insane amount of free stuff that is lavished upon this couple simply because they are making an attempt to show that The Bachelor franchise is successful once in a blue moon. To the best of my memory, I saw Jason and Molly receive: free celebrity wedding planning and design, hair by Ken Paves (Jessica Simpson’s hair stylist) and a celeb makeup artist, a custom dress by Monique Lhuillier (and assistance from Lhuillier herself), free shoes for the entire bridal party, a friggin’ gift bag suite for the bridal party which included free vacations for everyone, and a lavish outdoor location that for the enjoyment of the viewing audience at the very least, was completely rained out. In return, they apparently had to put up with various Bachelor alumni that they may or may not know attending the wedding, and random interruptions during the ceremony by Bachelor host, Chris Harrison, one of which involved him throwing to a commercial break. Did I actually see them take a TV time out just before the vows?
The fiancé and I thoroughly enjoyed mocking the cheesy elements of this excruciatingly long two hour special edition of The Bachelor (not to be confused with the excruciatingly long regular editions of The Bachelor that we have been watching week after week). But I’m not going to lie – when they revealed that ridiculous gift bag suite, we both agreed that we blew it and should have gone on The Bachelor so that ABC could pay for our wedding, too. Silly us, meeting in the real world and not on TV!
Anyway, to prove that we’re not opposed to accepting freebies in order to have the best wedding possible despite not being television-friendly, we recently entered the Ultimate Wedding Contest that Crate and Barrel and Daily Candy is holding. If we win, we get a $100,000 wedding planned by Jo Gartin…who just so happened to be the celebrity wedding planner behind Jason and Molly’s wedding. So if we prove victorious, maybe she can arrange a gift bag suite for our bridal party, too! However, we draw the line at Chris Harrison TV time outs (though he’s totally invited).
By the by, if you feel inclined to vote for us, feel free to click here and tell your friends. Yup, no shame over here!
If you win, please be sure to tell Jo that if it looks cloudy and your ceremony is outside, why not use a brain cell and put a tarp over the husband and wife-to-be so they don't have to stand there and remember vows while getting soaked? Although, that sure did make for some great TV. It's the only reason I kept watching.
It was clear that Jo was restricted in what she could do and was under the strict instructions and supervision of ABC. She flat out quoted to the camera that if it were up to her, there would be a backup plan involving a cozy, warm indoor location. But clearly, it was not up to her. I'm guessing the Terranea Resort paid ABC a hefty sum to highlight their luxurious outdoor scenery. And yeah, it made for much better TV to have a completely rainsoaked, not obstructed by pesky umbrellas bride and groom.
It was clear that Jo was restricted in what she could do and was under the strict instructions and supervision of ABC. She flat out quoted to the camera that if it were up to her, there would be a backup plan involving a cozy, warm indoor location. But clearly, it was not up to her. I'm guessing the Terranea Resort paid ABC a hefty sum to highlight their luxurious outdoor scenery. And yeah, it made for much better TV to have a completely rainsoaked, not obstructed by pesky umbrellas bride and groom.
If you win, please be sure to tell Jo that if it looks cloudy and your ceremony is outside, why not use a brain cell and put a tarp over the husband and wife-to-be so they don't have to stand there and remember vows while getting soaked? Although, that sure did make for some great TV. It's the only reason I kept watching.
It was clear that Jo was restricted in what she could do and was under the strict instructions and supervision of ABC. She flat out quoted to the camera that if it were up to her, there would be a backup plan involving a cozy, warm indoor location. But clearly, it was not up to her. I'm guessing the Terranea Resort paid ABC a hefty sum to highlight their luxurious outdoor scenery. And yeah, it made for much better TV to have a completely rainsoaked, not obstructed by pesky umbrellas bride and groom.
It was clear that Jo was restricted in what she could do and was under the strict instructions and supervision of ABC. She flat out quoted to the camera that if it were up to her, there would be a backup plan involving a cozy, warm indoor location. But clearly, it was not up to her. I'm guessing the Terranea Resort paid ABC a hefty sum to highlight their luxurious outdoor scenery. And yeah, it made for much better TV to have a completely rainsoaked, not obstructed by pesky umbrellas bride and groom.
I am happy to cast a vote your way but do you really want your wedding planned by a supposedly successful wedding planner who doesn't have a back up plan in case of rain??? Even the most inexperienced event planner comes up with a back up plan for inclement weather if you are having an event outdoors!
Like I said to Lucy BB, it was clear that the planner had no say in location. She looked exasperated as she told the camera that if it were up to her, there would have been an indoor plan B. And the wedding took place at a high-end resort – there is most definitely indoor space available. ABC just didn't want to use it.
Plus, I'm planning an indoor wedding from the get-go! :-)
I am happy to cast a vote your way but do you really want your wedding planned by a supposedly successful wedding planner who doesn't have a back up plan in case of rain??? Even the most inexperienced event planner comes up with a back up plan for inclement weather if you are having an event outdoors!
Like I said to Lucy BB, it was clear that the planner had no say in location. She looked exasperated as she told the camera that if it were up to her, there would have been an indoor plan B. And the wedding took place at a high-end resort – there is most definitely indoor space available. ABC just didn't want to use it.
Plus, I'm planning an indoor wedding from the get-go! :-)
I'm sure the abc producers had a hand in that. Wedding rain is much better TV than just a regular old sunshiney day.
I'm sure the abc producers had a hand in that. Wedding rain is much better TV than just a regular old sunshiney day.