When Big Fat Gypsy Weddings first aired on Channel 4, the
nation fell under the spell of this secretive group of people, who, along with
their propensity for living in segregated camps and observing traditional
gender-roles, are perhaps best known
(nowadays at least) for their elaborate wedding celebrations.
The runaway star of the Gypsy Weddings series, Thelma
Madine, is the dressmaker responsible for the elaborate, gaudy and sometimes
scar-inducing creations her teenaged brides shuffle down the aisle in. Now a trusted confidant and go-to dressmaker for gypsy
brides all over the country, Thelma tells how she overcame her own struggles
before becoming the successful boutique owner, wedding planner and TV
personality she is today.
Left with absolutely nothing after a messy divorce, the
platinum- blonde started off selling her modest creations on a market stall in Liverpool, until she was approached by a young traveller
asking if she could manage a much more elaborate creation, and she never looked
back.
Thelma’s work must be seen to be believed. She’s made a 107ft train, adorned brides with mechanical
butterflies that flutter as they walk, and even sewn battery packs into a
girl’s corset to power the L.E.D lights under her skirts. In this heartfelt memoir, Thelma brings the secretive world
of the travelling community to life, as she sees it, through the many young
brides that grace her boutique.
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