My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding

CutiePie2000 · #1 06-25-2011, 02:34 AM

I've only seen parts of this show on 2 occassons. One was where the groom was running late and/or could not find the church (I think the bride was 15?

), and tonight was with Bridget and her boo-hoo'ing cousin & the rest of the bridesmaids in neon pink tulle "monstrosities" of a dress. (see below for the bridal party)

One of the criticisms of the show is that the show also shows Irish Travellers, who are different from Romany Gypsies, so the title "Gypsy Wedding" is something of a misnomer, as it seems to lump the 2 distinctive groups into one.

For anyone else, watching the show, how do these travelling people earn a living? Are they always on the 'move'? I don't really get it. Those dresses that they buy must cost a fortune, so how are they bankrolling these weddings? And to book a hotel or a venue for a wedding, surely you need to have a credit card? How can you have a credit card if you don't have a fixed address?! (DETAILS! DETAILS!)

lalaliz · #2 06-25-2011, 03:20 AM

I don't know much, but I do know that some do odd jobs for money. Some, though few, do actually have a stable job, or businesses of their own. The weddings are mostly a matter of saving up money. For the women, weddings are a huge deal and for many, their goal in life is to get married. The wedding is the one big event in the girl's life that she looks forward to and has control over, and most have been planning theirs pretty much from birth. Most families save money starting from the time of the girls birth because for them, it really is that big of a deal. Also, while they do tend to travel, it's a myth that they're constantly on the move. All this is what I've learned from watching the series from the beginning, so I could be wrong, but it seems about right.

KSUViolet06 · #3 06-25-2011, 12:54 PM

This show completes my LIFE. It is so crazy.

IrishLake · #4 06-25-2011, 02:23 PM

I need to watch this. I have quite a few friends who live in Ireland and Scotland, and anytime they've talked about them, they've never had good things to say. Though one woman routinely hires any travelers in her area to do handy work around her farm. Most of them have told me that the travelers they know are all very very very well off financially.

All I know is that they developed a beautiful breed of horse, the gypsy vanner.
http://vanners.org/

KKGCaroline · #5 06-25-2011, 02:31 PM

i was driving through the small town just outside where dh & i live and we saw one of these weddings, i was shocked, the bridesmaids were wearing neon green tube tops and tutu's.....

IUHoosiergirl88 · #6 06-25-2011, 08:30 PM

I just started recently watching this show and am absolutely ADDICTED! The dresses and weddings sucked me in, but culturally, it's just astonishing. Their society is like what would happen if feminism never existed, and the way the men expect the women to act is just mindblowing

KSUViolet06 · #7 06-25-2011, 08:34 PM

I always think to myself that if I had to wear a dress that big/crazy, I would NEVER have been a bridesmaid. lol.

FSUZeta · #8 06-25-2011, 08:55 PM

i have seen it, and it is definitely interesting-lifestyles so different from what most of us are used to. and humongus, ugly dresses!

ElieM · #9 06-26-2011, 11:15 PM

it's awesome. And whenever you see a pic of the "world's biggest dress" or "world's dress with most petticoats" you can bet you top dollar it's from a Traveller wedding.

The title is misleading though.

FSUZeta · #10 06-27-2011, 09:22 AM

^yes it is.^

Munchkin03 · #11 06-27-2011, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CutiePie2000

For anyone else, watching the show, how do these travelling people earn a living? Are they always on the 'move'? I don't really get it. Those dresses that they buy must cost a fortune, so how are they bankrolling these weddings? And to book a hotel or a venue for a wedding, surely you need to have a credit card? How can you have a credit card if you don't have a fixed address?! (DETAILS! DETAILS!)

Like a lot of people have said, they aren't all homeless or living in camps outside the city limits. Granted, I know more about the Romani than I do the Irish Travellers, but between begging, construction, and various forms of unskilled labor--they're able to do very well for themselves. Apparently they make a lot of money in scrap metal.

When I was studying in Rome, which is teeming with Romani gypsies, one of my classmates' parents came to visit. They are Romanian, and they were walking through one of the piazzas when they encountered a Gypsy woman speaking to her daughter in Romanian. My classmate's mom asked the woman, "how did you get here?" The woman's response? "I got on a plane and flew, how else was I supposed to get here?" None of these folks are broke.

BetteDavisEyes · #12 07-03-2011, 11:45 AM

I just watched my first few episodes yesterday and I'm officially hooked.

is all I can say. My jaw spent a lot of time on the floor at these monstrosity weddings or laughing my ass off at them.

Xidelt · #13 07-03-2011, 03:59 PM

I've caught a few episodes here and there. I usually hate reality TV, but this has sucked me in. I think I read on a blog that Simon Cowell is one of the producers. I just wish these girls would realize there are fabrics other than tulle! Can't wait for the american version next year!

BetteDavisEyes · #14 07-03-2011, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xidelt

I just wish these girls would realize there are fabrics other than tulle!

THIS! I wish there was a LIKE button.

AZTheta · #15 07-03-2011, 04:20 PM

Am watching it now for the first time. A reception at an animal shelter? This is unexpected.