Tomboy Transformations Style Network!

Tomboy Transformations and a Seaside Affair

Finaly someone who gets it! Thanks Brides TV! Thanks Tarja!

By Tarja Settles - BridesTelevision.com Published May 02, 2008 05:52:08 PM Show Whose Wedding Is It Anyway? Season 5 Episode 2 Aired October 10, 2006 New Jersey wedding planner Samantha Goldberg has a unique philosophy about client relationships: “You pretty much marry us (wedding planners) before you actually marry your fiancé.” Now that she’s “married” to tough couple Brooke and Tim, she wonders if this is one client deserving of divorce. Brooke is a bride who shuns all things bridal and her mother, sick of dealing with her daughter and afraid of potential disaster, hired Sam to do the dirty work. Brooke and Tim met in college through their group of friends, but it wasn’t until two years after graduating that they “started talking regularly.” Although Brooke was in Florida and Tim was in New York City, their bond strengthened and Tim encouraged her to visit. Brooke finally moved after several trips, and their relationship grew more serious. Tim says, “The thing about Brooke that really drew me to her is her sense of humor and the way she interacts with people.” While for Brooke, Tim has a “calming effect” and balances her out. It’s all very sweet and cuddly, but don’t get too attached folks. Brooke and Tim are like your mom’s old cat that you put in a pillow case to take to the vet … and when you open it up, you have a snarling monster. With the two now engaged, Sam enters the picture, and so do the differences of opinion. Sam realizes that Brooke is “very hard-headed,” but that she needs to stick to her guns in order to pull off a non-traditional backyard wedding for 125 guests in Tom’s River, followed by a reception at a church. Yes, at a church. The theme, not surprisingly, is “All About Us.” Usually, couples are more discreet about displaying their egos, but not Brooke and Tim. Brooke explains, “The wedding we’re envisioning incorporates a lot of the things we like about our relationship and that make us unique.” At their first meeting, Sam was not expecting a bride who dismissed “lace, white, and ivory.” Brooke protests that she just wants “something different” – something that includes cupcakes instead of a traditional cake, as well as a couch at the reception for the bride and groom to relax. Sam is “frightened” by these requests, but reassures herself, “I’m taking the ‘us’ theme and I’m adding a little ‘Samantha’ theme to it!” Sam meets with the florist and determines to add her own vision to the bride’s requests. Always one for honesty, Sam says about Brooke, “I hate what she likes.” And what Brooke likes is a clump of orange gerbera daisies, which the florist refuses to do and suggests talking to Brooke about other bouquet options. With Brooke not answering her phone, Sam and the florist add green hydrangeas to the bouquet and create a centerpiece consisting of a low vase on a mirror filled with a ball of green hydrangeas. Later, Sam gets an angry phone call from Brooke, who is displeased that her wishes were not followed. Sam assures her, “I need you to trust me on this.” They hang up and the conversation appears over – until Brooke calls back yet again and Sam comforts her that the flowers are “not going to be too girly.” Sam says that on a scale of 1 to 10, her stress level is now at a 7 – and it’s only the beginning! Next, our fearless planner tackles the cupcakes, which Sam approves of as long as the presentation is done in a “nice, elegant tier.” She confirms the tiers with the baker and brings samples to Tim and Brooke for their approval. After making the mistake of asking about sprinkles (tomboys don’t like sprinkles!), Tim enjoys his cupcake – as does Brooke, albeit grudgingly. Then Sam convinces them to go with the tiers and have a small cake on the top to cut into. A small, but sweet victory has been achieved. With six weeks to go, Sam focuses on taking the tomboy out of Brooke and starts with a manicure and pedicure. It’s Brooke’s first time and she looks pained … even though she likes her French manicure. As she moves on to the pedicure, she asks Sam, “What’s your sick fascination with me doing something like this?” Sam changes the subject, asking if Tim will be surprised. Brooke gruffly says, “He’ll be like, I’m glad you don’t have it like this all the time.” Then the ladies head to the bridal shop and meet up with Brooke’s mom and maid of honor to choose a tiara. As shocking as it sounds, this tough bride wants a girly tiara! Brooke tries on several and hates them, but finally spies the one she wants: a simple band of diamonds and pearls that encircles her head. Next stop is the reception site to try on the dress. In another shocking move, the dress is a traditional $850 satin St. Patrick gown with beading, a high neck, and thin straps over the shoulder that cross delicately in the back. Expecting army fatigues, Samantha exclaims, “You look gorgeous!” All is right in the world … for the moment. Down to four weeks, the couple takes Sam to the reception site and the battle begins. Remember that analogy of the crazy old cat that goes berserk? Our sweet young couple is about to do just that and hit Sam with a tsunami of sarcasm and insolence. The two want fabric on the walls, as well as the “whole couch/library” thing. Sam disapproves, but Brooke says defensively, “It’s creating a small, intimate setting for us within this large room” – on the dance floor! Sam argues that this is neither intimate nor private, and the couple argues back that they don’t want private. Brooke again tries to explain what they want – which is essentially a recreation of their living room. Sam still doesn’t get it and says to the camera, “To me, that’s a little bit conceited, not intimate.” At this point, things get really heated and Sam asks Brooke to stop treating her that way. Moving on to the size of the dance floor, Sam suggests something large and the couple freaks out. Respect has officially left the room, and Sam decides to do the same. “I need to leave.” Now that was some riveting reality television. Tension is high and Brooke’s mom struggles to get Sam back in the picture, telling her daughter to “apologize that you upset her, not apologize for the things that you want.” So Brooke sucks it up, calls Sam, and apologizes that things got out of hand. Things seem back on track, but just when you think Brooke isn’t the spawn of Satan after all, she rolls her eyes after hanging up – like the petulant child she is. It’s the day before the wedding and Sam’s next task is choosing the wall fabric at the party rental store. She needs piping and draping that will “transform that room from basically nothing to an amazing facility.” Although there’s not a lot of money in the $10,000 budget, Sam manages to find a white organza overlay. Then she’s off to assist the baker with the cupcakes, saving her bride – who has no idea of the effort Sam is making – countless dollars by helping out. The day of the wedding is here, and with the walls draped, Sam sets up the venue while the bride gets ready. Brooke puts on her tiara, and her mom cries – maybe with relief that her daughter will be someone else’s problem? Then Tim arrives to unload the ratty couch. Sam assembles the tiers and adds a sprig of hydrangea to each cupcake. Brooke’s dad appears and kindly says to Sam that the room looks great. He even concedes that the tacky-looking couch and bookshelf are a “sore thumb” but that “at the same time, it’s okay.” And you know what? It is okay. Brooke arrives for the ceremony and walks down the aisle with her father, keeping her head down the entire time. She finally looks Tim in the eye as she says her vows and afterwards, they share a private moment alone (it’s all about “us!”). At the reception, the couple makes their entrance, and Tim says, “We’ve got to give Sam a lot of credit for what she did in that room.” Brooke, too, says she “couldn’t be happier that we hired a wedding planner.” As Sam watches the newlyweds relax on their couch, lost in their own private little world, she’s proud that an elegant affair emerged from the clash of personalities. Now this makes sense!