What is it with Bravolebrity weddings and their extremely awkward, foreboding ceremonies? Earlier this year, I noticed the very uncomfortable "For richer, and richer," vows during Vanderpump Rules super couple Tom Schwartz and Katie Maloney’s stressful woodland nuptials. Then, the alarm bells went off once again last night, during Real Housewives Of New York episode "A Countess No More," as I watched LuAnn (de Lesseps) D'Agostino force her way down the aisle with second husband Tom D’Agostino Jr., who is essentially accused of cheating with a new woman every day.
After we see a beaming LuAnn walk down the aisle, escorted by her brother Michael, she proudly stands next to her husband-to-be. Then, the officiant says something darkly parallel to the drama behind this relationship. "Love is reckless, not reason[able]… Love comes on strong, consuming herself, unabashed." I'm a huge fan of love, but this quote makes any marriage sound doomed before it’s begun — consuming oneself has never been described as a positive action. Yet, that’s is exactly what the officiant is bizarrely promising for our love birds. This would be a poor choice of words for any wedding, but it’s especially bad for the D'Agostino nuptials since it hits way too close to home.
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Earlier this season, RHONY co-star Bethenny Frankel had a meltdown over LuAnn’s imminent "I Do’s," since she believed her longtime frenemy was being reckless, the exact word used in the eventual wedding ceremony. "I think you’re making a big mistake, I really do. I swear to God on my life, I really think you’re making a big mistake." she sobbed to LuAnn during another terrible trip to the Berkshires. "I think he’s cheating on you and I don’t want to see it… I know you want the fantasy. You’re rushing. If you’re having any doubts, you don’t have to do it." Despite Bethenny’s tearful concerns, LuAnn still swears to her co-star she’s “fine” and is going to go through with the wedding. Throughout the exchange, the former countess is certainly “coming on strong” when it comes to her much-questioned relationship, as Bethenny is terrified LuAnn is about to unknowingly ruin her life.
Of course, this anxiety over the D’Agostinos has been simmering long before the RHONY women headed back to Dorinda Medley’s Massachusetts home. In season 8, Bethenny revealed she had photo evidence Tom cheated on his future bride days before the couple’s engagement party. The Skinnygirl mogul explained a source told her Tom was spotted kissing his Playboy model ex-girlfriend for more than an hour at the Regency Hotel in New York City. "The person said that he was so fucked up that he wouldn’t even remember," Bethenny confirmed to best friend Carole Radziwill and future mortal enemy Ramona Singer. "He and her partied like crazy."
Since LuAnn confronted Tom about the incident last year, she’s sworn they worked through the issues and are better than ever. Still, cheating rumours continue to plague Tom throughout season 9, which was filmed months after the original infidelity scandal. Ramona, who’s been accused of calling random friends of Tom’s on the West coast at all hours of the night for dirt, even alleged a friend told her LuAnn’s fiancé recently tried to grope her. The pinot grigio fan dropped the unverified bombshell in early December, mere weeks before the wedding.
With all of this awkward tension around LuAnn and Tom, there definitely could have been a less fraught line to read during a wedding ceremony. Let’s all just home LuAnn’s unabashed love for Tom doesn’t end up consuming her.