Just Get Them to the TV Cameras on Time

The millions who watched “The Bachelorette” choose her man last season can attend the wedding now.

Trista Rehn and Ryan Sutter go through the stages of mapping out the ceremony -- and then face each other at the altar -- in “Trista and Ryan’s Wedding,” an unscripted ABC miniseries beginning this Wednesday and continuing the next two Wednesdays.

Having cameras tail them through the process may seem intrusive, but it’s worth it: ABC is picking up the tab for the nuptials and paying the lovebirds a reported $1 million to cover their knot-tying.

In the opening hour, Rehn, an ex-physical therapist from St. Louis, and Sutter, a Colorado firefighter, meet with wedding planner Mindy Weiss and decide on details of their big event (including two Badgley Mischka gowns, several Kenneth Cole tuxedos and Lenox china). Week two features the bachelor and bachelorette parties, held at the resort Le Meridien on the Caribbean island of St. Martin. Finally, Trista and Ryan take their vows at the Lodge at Rancho Mirage in Palm Springs.

“It’s finally coming together, and it feels pretty good,” Rehn says. “Of course, we’re in the midst of lots of craziness right now, but I think I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. It’s been a lot of fun and we’ve gotten to do some really cool things, but we’re kind of ready to start our life together as normal people. We might have to deal with [ongoing fame] to some degree, but we’re living in Vail, Colo., where the people are kind of over it already. They don’t really care that much.”

Rehn doesn’t deny small-town life has been an adjustment for her, especially after the fast pace and the media glare she experienced constantly during her “Bachelorette” days.

“When you’re in love,” she reasons, “you do whatever it takes to make the relationship work. Moving Ryan out of Colorado would not have been good for him. He’s been there all his life and he loves it. He’s been on a leave of absence from the firehouse, but we stop by and say ‘Hi’ every now and then.”

Having ABC cover the cost of her wedding works just fine for Rehn. “Some people think Ryan and I are just money-hungry,” she says, “but you know what? We’re realists. If someone asked you, ‘Do you want us to throw you this fabulously expensive wedding that you would never be able to afford on your own?’ would you turn it down? There are pros and cons, the major con being that we haven’t had as much privacy. Obviously, there will be cameras at the wedding, but people normally have videographers at their weddings anyway. In our case, there will just be more of them.

“Also, more people will have access to the [resulting] video. I’m happy to share the love I have for Ryan. You know that expression about people wanting to shout from the rooftops that they’re in love? That’s how I think Ryan and I feel. You want to tell everybody that you’re so happy with this other person, and what better way is there to do that than being on national television?”

Still, Rehn admits she’s had some trouble letting others handle aspects of her wedding she’d rather take care of herself.

“A lot of people are doing stuff I think would be fun,” she says. “I’m an organization freak, so while having others helping out is a blessing, I’ve felt at times like having meetings to talk to them about such-and-such. I’ve kind of wanted to get my hands dirty, because I’ve been wanting to plan my wedding forever. A friend’s wedding was scheduled two weeks before mine, and I was feeling a little guilty because she was telling me about all this stuff she had to do. That hasn’t been the case for me.”

Just as Rehn became the chooser after not being chosen by Alex Michel in the first season of “The Bachelor,” her rejection of Bob Guiney made him the latest “Bachelor.” Rehn says she never had a doubt about her choice.

“Ryan and I have been together pretty much constantly for the past six months, and that’s been good. When I was still living in L.A. and he was in Colorado, it was really hard on our relationship. When you’re limited to phone calls, you just crave being together, and we’re doing great. He doesn’t like the press and photo shoots as much as I do, but he’s handling it very well.”

A month from now, married life may seem much more normal to Trista and Ryan than it does now. Even so, Rehn is determined not to let television make her feel any other way than she should on her big day. “All I’m worried about,” she says, “is what I’m going to say and having a good time with my family and friends, and that’s it. [ABC] can worry about the rest of it.”

Jay Bobbin writes for Tribune Media Services.

“Trista and Ryan’s Wedding” will air at 9 p.m. Wednesday on ABC.