The Untold Truth Of Bridezillas

The traditional June wedding stems back to the days of Roman mythology, where it was common to marry during the month dedicated to the goddess Juno. Juno was the protector of women in marriage and childbearing, however, this regal goddess was also often portrayed as a savage and warlike goddess who eventually gave birth to Mars, the god of war. Her Greek equivalent, Hera, was also known to unleash her deadly wrath on those who displeased her, and both goddesses were known for bending the wills of men to their advantage.

Perhaps these goddesses were the inspiration for the June 2004 debut of WE tv's Bridezillas. The show's title is fairly telling of the temperament of its stars, but here are a few things you might not have known about the show and its cast, right out of the mouths of previous cast-members themselves. I spoke to Porsha from season eight and Melissa from season seven, and both had some interesting dirt to share.

Some Bridezillas sent in their own applications to be on the show. But Porsha, from season eight, told me her mom and sisters signed her up. And Melissa from season seven said her very own groom sent in her application "as a joke." The show called them for a follow-up interview and chose the most entertaining candidates. Melissa, Porsha and their respective hubbies appeared in the series spinoff, Marriage Boot Camp, which apparently had an even more in-depth review process. Both women said they had to undergo psychological testing to be on the show. But it wasn't just to make sure they were mentally stable. Porsha said they wanted to see if you were at least a little bit crazy to provide the viewers with entertainment. They also had a full medical review complete with blood work.

Melissa from season seven was also happy with her episode stating "I liked mine as well. It was funny!" She said she didn't see the show as a way to portray women as crazy selfish wedding monsters, but instead a way to show other brides to be how hectic the week before their weddings could be.

For some Bridezillas, the 15 minutes of fame was fleeting. But for others, the viewers needed more. Natalie Nunn was picked up by Oxygen for the Bad Girls Club. Melissa from season seven said she was contacted to be on The Bachelor, but she had to tell them no because she was, in fact, still married to her husband Chris. Porsha did her video blog, Porsha's Recap, for WE tv, and she was contacted by The Biggest Loser, but couldn't join the show because she was pregnant with her daughter at the time. She also filmed for her own show, but stopped because she was so sick during her pregnancy. Porsha told me she wouldn't want her daughter to follow in her reality television footsteps because she should follow her own dreams.

The show might have been about women berating and attacking their closest friends and family members, but it wasn't all hair pulling and teeth gnashing. Friendships were formed between former Zillas. Porsha said she's befriended several former brides, but her best friend from the show is Minyon, the bride from season nine who fought her sister and angrily cut up her mother's dress for the wedding.

Jim and Elizabeth Carroll were hired on as the hosts of Marriage Boot Camp, the Bridezillas spin-off designed at healing the marriages of the broken Bridezillas. The couple was beloved by the cast, and Porsha said her biggest complaint was not being able to speak with them off camera. The couple weren't just show ponies, either. The program they used on the show is based on a real-life intense marriage-building seminar program called Marriage Boot Camp run by the Carrolls. But Melissa from season seven said what people saw on the show wasn't an accurate representation of the program Jim and Elizabeth run. "They will tell you themselves that was TV, not how the real program is," Melissa said. She felt like the producers wanted to put the couples in crazy situations, like the episode where they tried, unsuccessfully, to coax Melissa into a casket, just to amp up the drama. "If I had it to do over again, I still wouldn't have gotten in," Melissa said.

Viewers constantly ask how these men could possibly walk down the aisle with these wedding monsters. Former groom Steven from season 10 told me he married his bride in the hopes that it would be the solution to a toxic relationship. "I was with Amanda for five years. I loved her. I honestly did," Steven said. "We had issues. I knew it wasn't going to work out. I thought by marrying her it would fix things." But it only made things worse. A year and one day after they said "I do," Steven said "I can't" and moved to Orlando while Amanda stayed behind in Ocala. According to Steven, she'd been having an affair with a guy named Andy she met through her sister. According to Steven, Andy and Amanda are still together, but when he last saw them in public Amanda grabbed her new beau and ran off.

Steven said it was Amanda's idea to join the show, and he was just along for the ride. And for the most part the crew was just there to film for five days before the wedding. He said the show was pretty much an open book into their lives, but the crew would try and find people they didn't like to show up and create drama for ratings.

Steven told me he was in a dark place when he moved to Orlando, but his friends stayed by his side and pulled him out. Since he and Amanda split, Steven has finished college and is planning to move back to New Jersey. But he hasn't dated anyone seriously since the split. "I get asked all the time why I'm still single," Steven said. "Just fate I guess." He said his relationship with Amanda made it hard for him to trust, and with a bride who faked a pregnancy to try and get jewelry, who can blame him? But for the most part he said he just hasn't found anyone compatible. "Don't get me wrong, when we were on good terms she has a good heart and cares. But things and time change people," Steven said. "I'm not perfect but I didn't deserve what she did."