My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding: The Secret Filming Locations Revealed

My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding is a British documentary series that first aired in 2010 as a one-off programme. A series of 5 episodes were later commissioned, and the series first aired in January 2011. The show explores the lives and traditions of several British Traveller families as they prepared to marry one of their members. It also featured Romanichal (British Gypsies) in several episodes. The show has been criticised by some Romani and Traveller communities for misrepresenting them.

In North America, the show airs on TLC under the title My Big Fat American Gypsy Wedding, with the original narration by Barbara Flynn replaced by Ellen K. The show takes viewers through the superstitions, customs, and wedding celebrations of the gypsy communities throughout America.

Virgin Gypsy Brides

My Big Fat American Gypsy Wedding is an American reality TV series that debuted on TLC in April 2012. It explores the marriage customs of Romani-Americans ("Gypsies"), specifically members of Romanichal clans and some of Irish Traveller descent. The series is a spin-off of Britain's Channel 4 series, Big Fat Gypsy Weddings, which aired in 2010-2011.

One of the episodes of the American series is titled "Virgin Gypsy Brides". In this episode, there is a focus on the belief that there is no sex before marriage for Gypsy teenagers. The episode follows two teenage girls, Hope and Shyanne, as they go through different rites of passage under the watchful eyes of their protective mothers. Hope's extravagant 15th birthday party is featured, as well as Shyanne's wedding at the age of 17.

The series has been controversial, facing allegations of racism in its advertising and causing an increase in racially motivated bullying. It has also been criticised by the Romani Gypsy community for misrepresenting the ethnic minority by featuring non-Romani characters posing as "Gypsy". Despite this, the series provides an insight into the world of Gypsy traditions and celebrations, including birthdays, weddings, and Holy Communions, where no expense is spared and bling is often a key feature.

The original British series, Big Fat Gypsy Weddings, has also faced similar criticisms from the Irish Traveller and British Gypsy/Traveller communities for misrepresenting their culture and traditions.

Wild weddings

Weddings are a big deal in the gypsy community. They are known for being over-the-top, extravagant affairs with no expense spared. The dresses are often the most eye-catching element, costing tens of thousands of dollars and featuring glow-in-the-dark fabrics, palm trees, and pineapple motifs.

The weddings themselves are grand celebrations, with horse-drawn carriages and giant parties. But before the big day, there are important traditions to be followed. For example, in one episode of "My Big Fat American Gypsy Wedding", we see a teenage bride-to-be struggling to master the traditions of a secret society to gain their acceptance.

The build-up to the wedding is just as important as the main event. In gypsy culture, parties are one of the only places where young people can socialize with the opposite sex. So, each celebration is an opportunity to dress up in sparkles, makeup, and revealing outfits. Despite the provocative outfits and dancing, gypsy culture has a "look but don't touch" policy—it's far more conservative than you might expect.

Gypsy weddings are also a chance to showcase the community's unique culture and history. The narrator of "My Big Fat American Gypsy Wedding" offers viewers a glimpse into the world of Romani gypsies, explaining their origins and lifestyle. It's a world where men work and women stay at home, girls drop out of school at 12, and marriages often take place between 14 and 16 years old.

One episode of the show features a young couple who plan to meet for the first time on their wedding day! Another couple, star-crossed lovers Heath and Alyssa, defy both sets of parents to marry, but Heath's Aunt Mellie is prepared to use violence to stop the union.

These wild weddings are a fascinating insight into a unique and often misunderstood culture.

Romani Gypsy culture

Romani culture heavily emphasizes the importance of family, with a focus on extended family structures. Marriage is a significant aspect of Romani culture, often serving as a way to strengthen family ties and connections between different groups. Traditionally, marriages were arranged, with the groom's family paying a bride price to the bride's family. While these customs are still followed by some traditional families, they have evolved over time due to factors like social media, education, and women's empowerment.

Romani communities are diverse, with various subgroups such as the Arlije, Bashalde, Bergitka Roma, and Calé, each with their unique cultural practices and traditions. Their language, Romani, is an Indo-Aryan language with Balkan and Greek influences and is divided into several dialects.

Romani culture also has a strong spiritual dimension. While most Romani are Christian, there are also Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhist communities among them. They have their saints and deities, such as Saint Sarah, revered as the "Protectress of the Roma," and Saint Ceferino Giménez Malla, considered a patron saint.

Romani traditions and celebrations are extravagant and vibrant, with no expense spared. Weddings, birthdays, and holy communions are marked by over-the-top events filled with bling and glamour. Romani women often wear gold jewellery and headscarves adorned with golden coins, while men sport shoulder-length hair, mustaches, and earrings.

Romani cuisine varies across communities, but some common dishes include rabbit stew, fried bread dishes like xaritsa and bogacha, and pirogo, a sweet noodle casserole. Horse meat, cat meat, and dog meat are forbidden in the Christian Romani community and are considered unclean.

Romani art, music, and dance are integral parts of their culture, with influences from various regions they travelled through, including Greece, Persia, Turkey, Romania, and Spain. Their music and dance forms, such as the famous flamenco, have influenced European classical composers like Franz Liszt and Johannes Brahms.

Despite facing discrimination and persecution throughout history, the Romani people have preserved their unique culture and continue to celebrate their traditions proudly.

Gypsy communities in America

The TV series "My Big Fat American Gypsy Wedding" showcases the marriage customs of Romani-Americans, allegedly members of Romanichal clans, although some are of Irish Traveller descent. The show has been criticised for misrepresenting the Romani ethnic minority, with non-Romani characters posing as "Gypsy".

The Romani people, or Gypsies, have a long history, dating back to the Indian subcontinent, spreading to the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and eventually, America. It is estimated that there are one million Romani-Americans living in the United States, with many concentrated in Southern California, the Pacific Northwest, Texas, and cities like Chicago and St. Louis. Romani-Americans value family and community, and work to preserve their heritage and traditions. They hold elaborate weddings, and place great importance on other ceremonies such as baptisms and funerals, which can bring together large numbers of community members.

While some Romani-Americans live in insular communities, others live in mainstream society, blending in while still adhering to their cultural traditions within their homes. They face discrimination and racism in the United States, including housing discrimination, profiling by law enforcement, and violence. Despite these challenges, some Romani-Americans, like Naomi Negron, are actively working to build community and celebrate their identity through initiatives like the Dikhlo Collective, which creates and shares parcels of traditional Roma items with the Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller (GRT) community across the country.

Gypsies in the UK

The term "Gypsies and Travellers" encompasses a range of groups with different histories, cultures, and beliefs. This includes Romany Gypsies, Welsh Gypsies, Scottish Gypsy Travellers, and Irish Travellers. There are also Traveller groups considered 'cultural' rather than 'ethnic' Travellers, such as 'New' (Age) Travellers and occupational travellers like showmen and waterway travellers.

There are an estimated 225,000 Romani people in the UK, including the Romanichal, Kale (Welsh Roma), and a large population of Eastern European Roma. The Romanichal, or English Gypsies, predominantly live in England but can also be found in South Wales, Northeast Wales, and the Scottish Borders. They speak English and Angloromani, and there is a north-south divide between those in Southern and Northern England, with differences in pronunciation and vocabulary.

The Kale are Welsh Romani, found in the Welsh-speaking parts of Northwestern Wales, and they speak Welsh Kalá. The Romani population in Wales is estimated to be around 3,000.

Around 20,000 Scottish Gypsies/Travellers live in Scotland, including Scottish Lowland Roma, indigenous Scottish Lowland and Highland Travellers, Irish Travellers, and Funfair Travellers (Showman).

Romani people in the UK have faced widespread marginalization, prejudice, and discrimination. They have been recorded in the UK since at least the early 16th century, and legislation such as the Egyptians Act of 1530 and 1554, and the Enclosure Act of 1857, have historically criminalized and discriminated against them.

Gypsies and Travellers experience some of the worst outcomes of any group across a wide range of social indicators. They face high levels of racial discrimination, poor health, and low educational attainment. They also have high rates of unemployment and economic inactivity, with many living in substandard conditions.

The TV series "My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding" and its spin-offs have been criticized by the Romani Gypsy and Traveller communities for misrepresenting their cultures and contributing to negative stereotypes and racially motivated bullying. The shows have been accused of focusing on over-the-top wedding dresses and other excesses while largely avoiding the myriad of problems faced by these communities, such as discrimination, poor health, and poverty.

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