Love Island Winners Molly & Tom's Wedding Panic as 2026 Date Looms
They captured the nation's hearts when they fell in love on screen, winning ITV2's Love Island: All Stars in 2024. Now, two years later, Molly Smith, 31, and Tom Clare, 26, are deep in preparations for their summer 2026 wedding, following Tom's romantic proposal in Dubai last September. The couple admit they couldn't wait a moment longer to start planning their big day, but with less than six months to go, the pressure is mounting.
Last-Minute Decisions and Mounting Stress
Despite their excitement, Molly and Tom are facing a race against time. They have just taken over hosting duties on the podcast NearlyWeds from Jamie Laing and Sophie Habboo, yet major wedding decisions remain unresolved. The couple are torn between France and Spain for their destination ceremony, have yet to visit their shortlisted venues, and Molly hasn't even tried on a wedding dress. The stress of organising one of the most important days of their lives in such a short space is not lost on Molly, who confesses she is beginning to 'panic' as the countdown continues.
In an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail, Molly revealed: 'That's why it's stressful because I have a countdown on my phone saying how long it is until the wedding, and I'm starting to have mini panic attacks every morning when it's flagging.' Tom added: 'We are having our wedding abroad, but we're still in two minds at the moment. We don't have long to make a decision. It's between Spain and France. It has to make sense for our family members, we want everyone who we want to be there, we don't want to go somewhere that's crazy expensive. It has to be perfect.'
Team Effort Amid the Chaos
Weddings can prove intense, not only for the couple but for their families too, sometimes becoming a source of tension, as seen with high-profile couples like the Beckhams. However, Molly and Tom, who insist it was love at first sight when they met in the South African villa two years ago, say they are tackling the plans as a team. Tom praised Molly: 'Molly does a lot - I take my hat off to Mol, she has sorted out a lot.' Molly reciprocated: 'But Tom has been amazing, we have both been on the same page about most things.'
Reflecting on their unique meeting, Tom said: 'To find Molly and have what we have, I am so grateful. It's surreal. It was love at first sight, I had my eye on Molly before I went onto the show. People say it was even creepy or stalkerish, but I got what I wanted, so I don't care.' Molly added: 'I went on All Stars with no expectations, even when Tom first walked in, I knew I really liked Tom but it wasn't until we went on our date and I thought, oof, I can really see this working.'
Dress Dread and Future Plans
For many brides, shopping for a wedding gown is a highlight, but Molly has yet to book a single bridal appointment and admits she is 'dreading' the possibility of not finding her dream dress. She explained: 'I have been screenshotting things off Instagram, and I'm going to start making appointments. It's hard because we don't know the venue yet, so I don't have a vision or the vibe. I am nervous. That's the one thing I'll be honest; I'm not looking forward to it.'
Looking ahead, the couple are open to filming their wedding for a reality series, mirroring the televised love story that first brought them together. Tom said: 'That would be amazing. If that's something we could show our future family, I love all of that.' Molly agreed: 'We are open, and I feel like we're happy to show that and for people to see the real behind-the-scenes.'
New Podcast Hosts and Family Dreams
Molly and Tom have been announced as the new hosts of NearlyWeds, taking over from Jamie and Sophie, who are now focusing on their Disney+ show, Raising Chelsea. Tom expressed their honour: 'How successful Jamie and Sophie are with their podcast, we listened to it and we loved it, for them to even reach out to us and say, "Look guys, we want you to be the new NearlyWeds", it was just surreal.' They promise to be open with listeners, with Molly saying: 'We want to be as open, real, and raw with it as possible.'
As for starting a family, Tom said: 'For our future, we are not in any rush, we are taking it day by day, but the wedding is a top priority. We would love to have a family in the future and all of that. We speak about that, of course, but right now we're in no rush.' Nearlyweds with Molly and Tom launches on 3rd March on YouTube and all podcast platforms.
