The show 4 weddings for a honeymoon returns has been broadcast on TFX since Monday, January 24, 2022, in place of the JLC Family show. The goal of 4 weddings for a honeymoon ? 4 brides put their marriage in competition, to try to dazzle their competitors and to win a dream honeymoon in a heavenly place. Candidates will be judged on several criteria. Their wedding dress, the decoration of their reception hall, the quality of the meal, the opening of the ball and finally, the general atmosphere of the wedding.
The famous wedding-planner, Elodie Villemus, 41, is there to advise the public on the organization of weddings. She also has a decisive role in the choice of the winner since she assigns a score to each of the brides. The latter counts for half of the final grade. Elodie Villemus tells us more about her passion for marriage, about the program but also about her future projects. Interview.
What made you want to become a wedding planner?
Before, I was commercial director and I organized artist showcases, so nothing to do. However, it is true that as soon as there was a small event within my family, it was I who organized it because I like to make myself useful. The real trigger was at the wedding of my best friend 15 or 16 years ago. I helped him plan the wedding. We had planned an outdoor ceremony when it was not done at the time. I loved helping her and I had fun creating a real marriage. The ceremony photographer told me “I wish I had a best friend like you.” And it echoed. I took a step back and looked at the people around me: they were all happy. This is where the grace of marriage hit me. (laughs). I said to myself “change job” and then everything was done quickly. I do not regret.
What do you like best about your job as a wedding planner?
The profession has evolved and is gaining momentum. It is not a simple craft, but it is complete and very beautiful, essential for the success of an event such as a wedding. My role is to set up a framework, to assist the future bride and groom, to accompany them and to set up a team of service providers that corresponds to their desires and their expectations. It’s very complicated but fun and challenging! Indeed, the way of getting married has changed over the years. Marriage is based on two important pillars of life: emotions and money. We have to deal with that and obviously we have no room for error. It’s not easy, but I see many great stories, which makes my job very rich.
Why did you agree to do the show? What does this bring you?
I was in my region of Provence to evolve, to create more and more beautiful marriages. Quite honestly, even if you need visibility to make yourself known as a wedding planner, I never told myself that I had to do television to have clients. Then one day, I received a call from the production company who explained to me that they wanted to set up a different dynamic in the 4 weddings for a honeymoon program. She wanted an expert, personable figure to bring advice, caring and a professional outlook to the show.
It spoke to me right away because I like to share, I like my job, I like to train the next generation of wedding planners… I told myself that this project was in line with my development. My tips allow the public to learn more about planning a wedding and I think it’s important because everyone has the right to know how to get married. It’s a really great experience, which brings me a lot humanly and professionally speaking because I meet very different people. It opens the spectrum of my job to me.
Have you been marked by certain marriages or candidates?
Yes, I was marked by a moment. It was during this famous week during which one of the candidates, Francesca, won the honeymoon but gave it to another candidate whose marriage she had loved, Adelaide. She had told her husband that if they won, they would give up their honeymoon because she deserved it. It was a highlight because it’s a program that has a bit of a very competitive reputation, with a lot of buns, but there’s also a lot of benevolence between the candidates. This moment touched me because it embodies this value.
Do you have other projects with TF1?
No not right now. I am an ambitious person, I like evolution, to see further, higher, I am passionate about my job. Marriage is an infinite subject and there are so many possibilities that I obviously want to show more. Marriage is a dream, and we need it in our society. I have many ideas and we talk, we exchange…