A BUSINESS woman who appeared on Don’t Tell The Bride has spilled the truth on what really happened behind the scenes.
The British reality show gave engaged couples a £12,000 budget to plan their big day – but the twist was that the bride couldn’t have any part in the planning process.
Now, one luxury bridal shop owner has spoken out on social media about her experience on the show, and she claims that it was mostly faked.
Jess Ricketts is the owner of Wynter Isabelle, a glam bridal store in Barry, Wales.
She appeared on the show twice while working for previous employers, and helped groomsmen choose a dress for their ‘unknowing’ bride.
But Jess (@weddingdressjess) posted a video on TikTok, where she told viewers: “I don’t think that there’s many that didn’t know what dress they were having, and it was all a good bloody act.”
She says her stories took place around 15 years ago, and she didn’t want to name the couples in case they got in trouble for breaking the show’s strict rules.
But she tells viewers that they could easily work out who it was, as she appeared in both episodes.
While working for a bridal shop in Swansea, she says she received a phone call from a bride who was due to appear on the show in a few weeks.
She said the bride had set her sights on a particular dress, which they agreed to order in for her.
“So the groom comes in, he picks the dress as if it was, like, on the hanger ready, in her size.
“Dresses take six to nine months to order.”
Jess said the stunt was “strategically” planned, and when the dress was revealed, the woman faked her surprise in front of the cameras.
In another episode, Jess said she had to deal with “drama” from a bride who was a “very good actress”.
The featuring couple had visited her shop ahead of filming, to select the dress together.
Rules on Don’t Tell The Bride
- The couple have to go completely no contact for three weeks leading up to their big day.
- The groom must plan everything – from the venue, to the dress, to the cake.
- The production crew will stop filming if they find out the couple have secretly been talking.
- The vows on the show aren’t legally binding, and couples need to register their marriage after.
- The couple must agree to sign a contract agreeing to the rules.
The bride was “adamant” she wanted a princess dress and she’d told Jess there was “no way” she wasn’t going to know which dress she was having.
The couple chose the perfect gown and returned at a later date with the production crew.
Once the cameras were rolling, the dramatic bride staged a mega meltdown, pretending she hated the princess dress she’d secretly requested.
But the bride’s mega meltdown was a risky game – as if the couple were found out, they would have to pay back the £12,000 budget.
Viewers were left divided in the comments.
One person wrote: “I’m so gullible, I thought it was all real.”
While another person commented: “I did think surely they would speak before the wedding”
