Have you seen the incredible new show called "My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding"? It was a smash sensation in the UK, and now American television viewers are getting a chance to peek inside the outrageous flamboyance that is the hallmark of British gypsies and travelers. Learn more about the eye-popping show and the secrets that it revealed about this closed society.
As a self-confessed wedding show junkie, I was very excited to see the American premier of "My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding" on TLC recently. What really marked the program as exceptional, though, was the fact that even my husband was glued to the tv set! How can anyone look away from a program that features a wedding dress filled with so many lights and battery packs that the seamstress felt obligated to bring a small fire extinguisher to the wedding - you know, just in case the bride suddenly went up in flames! The gown in question was a massive confection of pink tulle with LED lights and moving fabric butterflies. Understated and tasteful it was not, but I must admit it was the most remarkable wedding gown I have ever seen.
There is a fascinating dichotomy which the program reveals about British travelers and gypsies. On the one hand, the young ladies are raised with very strict rules about courtship. For instance, a girl would never go out alone with a boy. Even one of the engaged couples featured on the show was seen shopping for household goods at a flea market with a chaperone in tow. In that regard, the culture is very quaint and old-fashioned. And yet, these young women with the high morals are shown dressing like a cross between streetwalkers and Vegas showgirls half the time. There is something so odd about seeing a gaggle of girls in skin tight Daisy Dukes talking about the strict moral code imposed on the gypsy females from birth.
Something else which is very interesting about the young couples in "My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding" is how young they get married. According to the show, the average age for marriage in England is around 28 for women, but the travelers customarily get married at age 16 or 17. They are raised to get married and become homemakers, and to rear large families. The lavish First Holy Communions are seen as almost a dress rehearsal for the wedding, with the girls (typically around 8 years old) wearing custom fantasy princess gowns with parasols, high heel shoes, spray tans, and a face full of makeup.
For any fan of weddings, the best part of the new show is seeing the over-the-top wedding gowns the gypsy brides have custom made. There is a saying that the more you bleed, the better the dress. With many of the dresses weighing in at over 70 pounds, brides literally come away with bruised and bloody hips from carrying the weight of their gowns. In addition to the massive skirts on their dresses, the gypsy brides are all decked out in huge veils, lots of cz wedding jewelry, and enormous tiaras to match. Much attention was also paid to arriving at the wedding or First Communion in high style, with carriages, pink limos, and even monster party trucks being the order of the day. Yet for all the dazzle of their gowns, cz wedding jewelry, and transportation, the actual weddings were quite casual. Decorations consisted mostly of balloons, and by the cake cutting, the bride and groom were in very casual clothes like cut off shorts and undershirts.
With more episodes coming, one can only imagine what more will be revealed about the amazing world of gypsy and traveler weddings. From the gowns to the young brides to the wild parties, the storylines are sure to be fascinating. If you have ever wanted to get a glimpse into the secret world of travelers, "My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding" is not to be missed.
As a self-confessed wedding show junkie, I was very excited to see the American premier of "My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding" on TLC recently. What really marked the program as exceptional, though, was the fact that even my husband was glued to the tv set! How can anyone look away from a program that features a wedding dress filled with so many lights and battery packs that the seamstress felt obligated to bring a small fire extinguisher to the wedding - you know, just in case the bride suddenly went up in flames! The gown in question was a massive confection of pink tulle with LED lights and moving fabric butterflies. Understated and tasteful it was not, but I must admit it was the most remarkable wedding gown I have ever seen.
There is a fascinating dichotomy which the program reveals about British travelers and gypsies. On the one hand, the young ladies are raised with very strict rules about courtship. For instance, a girl would never go out alone with a boy. Even one of the engaged couples featured on the show was seen shopping for household goods at a flea market with a chaperone in tow. In that regard, the culture is very quaint and old-fashioned. And yet, these young women with the high morals are shown dressing like a cross between streetwalkers and Vegas showgirls half the time. There is something so odd about seeing a gaggle of girls in skin tight Daisy Dukes talking about the strict moral code imposed on the gypsy females from birth.
Something else which is very interesting about the young couples in "My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding" is how young they get married. According to the show, the average age for marriage in England is around 28 for women, but the travelers customarily get married at age 16 or 17. They are raised to get married and become homemakers, and to rear large families. The lavish First Holy Communions are seen as almost a dress rehearsal for the wedding, with the girls (typically around 8 years old) wearing custom fantasy princess gowns with parasols, high heel shoes, spray tans, and a face full of makeup.
For any fan of weddings, the best part of the new show is seeing the over-the-top wedding gowns the gypsy brides have custom made. There is a saying that the more you bleed, the better the dress. With many of the dresses weighing in at over 70 pounds, brides literally come away with bruised and bloody hips from carrying the weight of their gowns. In addition to the massive skirts on their dresses, the gypsy brides are all decked out in huge veils, lots of cz wedding jewelry, and enormous tiaras to match. Much attention was also paid to arriving at the wedding or First Communion in high style, with carriages, pink limos, and even monster party trucks being the order of the day. Yet for all the dazzle of their gowns, cz wedding jewelry, and transportation, the actual weddings were quite casual. Decorations consisted mostly of balloons, and by the cake cutting, the bride and groom were in very casual clothes like cut off shorts and undershirts.
With more episodes coming, one can only imagine what more will be revealed about the amazing world of gypsy and traveler weddings. From the gowns to the young brides to the wild parties, the storylines are sure to be fascinating. If you have ever wanted to get a glimpse into the secret world of travelers, "My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding" is not to be missed.
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