A former contestant on the reality show Don't Tell the Bride has spoken out about how her dream wedding was taken from her. Fern Weston-Bennett, from Doncaster, appeared on the hit BBC Three series in 2010 alongside her now-husband Ryan, when she was just 21 years old. The show, which can now be streamed on Channel 4, gives a couple a fixed budget for their big day, but the groom must organise every detail without any input from the bride.
Chaotic Planning and a Missed Dress
Fern and Ryan remain one of the show's most talked-about couples, as the planning process was notoriously chaotic. Ryan seemed to prioritise his best friend, nicknamed "Fernando," over his bride, stirring up "bromance" drama. Working with a budget of £12,000, Ryan left Fern furious after getting her dream dress completely wrong. Fern had a strong dislike for plain dresses and wanted an elaborately detailed gown, but Ryan opted for a simple, elegant princess dress costing £1,000.
Hollywood-Style Ceremony
Despite the dress mishap, Ryan managed to pull together a lavish, Hollywood-style ceremony, complete with a showstopping arrival for the bride by helicopter. Now, 16 years later, Fern has spoken candidly about her experience, confessing that her dream day was "taken away from her."
Fern's Candid Confession
Speaking to online bingo provider Zingo Bingo, Fern revealed: "As much as I'm so grateful for the opportunity and we had our wedding paid for, which really did a huge favour to us, I've always said that I never feel like I had the wedding in terms of what it was supposed to feel like." She continued: "Personally, all of that was taken away from me. I never had my own vision come to life. I never had the emotions of what a bride should experience when they're getting married. It was more about creating a TV show and getting what they needed to get."
Pressure of Filming
The reality TV star, now a mother of two, also spoke about the pressure she encountered while appearing on the show. She explained: "It was overwhelming because I didn't move in with my bridesmaids or my friends. I moved back in with my parents for the duration of filming. I've been used to not living with them for 3 years. So during those three weeks it was an intense situation and not having any contact with Ryan was hard." She added: "I must have been quite difficult to work with because I don't really like showing too much emotion and they needed emotion from me. I felt quite under pressure."
Reflections on Reality TV
Reflecting on how her views on reality television have shifted, she said: "I just think you've got to be so aware of what you get into and don't expect it to be normal life. You're making entertainment at the end of the day and getting that balance of what's natural and not natural." Don't Tell the Bride can be streamed on Channel 4.
