Is it me or is Star Jones bringing new meaning to the words 'Tacky Bridezilla'

Star Jones says 'I do' to wedding freebies
By Karen Thomas, USA TODAY
Like many brides, Star Jones wanted the very best of the best when she planned her wedding.

They’ll marry Saturday: Al Reynolds and Star Jones.
By Peter Kramer, Getty Images

But unlike most brides, she got much of it for free.

When she marries Al Reynolds Saturday in New York, The View co-host will have received donated invitations (from Encore Studios and The Stationery Studio), tuxedos (Sarno & Son) and bridesmaids' gowns (Lazaro Bridal). According to the couple's wedding Web site (www.starandal.com), they even have an 'official airline of our wedding weekend' (Continental).

What have the suppliers received in return? Potential public mentions, or plugs, for their products.

Wedding experts say Jones, a spokeswoman for Payless Shoes, has pushed product-placement and celebrity freebies to a new extreme. She has taken heat for soliciting freebies and for her on-air plugs for wedding suppliers on The View.

Jones has denied wrongdoing. A show spokesman says Jones' plugs on The View followed federal regulations, which prohibit on-air mentions in exchange for products. It's a murky area, but since the controversy arose, Jones has noticeably cut back on on-air wedding chatter.

Jones isn't the first star to get financial help for a wedding. Some cost-reducing tactics:

• Trade wedding products for possible publicity. Tori Spelling's bridal party received chocolates donated by a popular candy company. A trendy clothing company in L.A. routinely offers celeb brides sweatsuits for bridesmaids, and Hollywood brides rarely turn down the offer.

•Invite TV. The Bachelorette's Trista Rehn and Ryan Sutter earned $1 million from ABC to air their 2003 wedding. MTV picked up the tab for last year's wedding of Dave Navarro and Carmen Electra.

• Sell wedding photographs. Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas sold photo rights to their 2000 wedding for $1.8 million.

Most stars don't want freebies, says wedding planner Mindy Weiss, who worked with Jessica Simpson, 'because then they have to talk publicly about intimate parts of their lives' in exchange.

Jones' approach is a sign that the no-cost celebrity wedding has 'most definitely' crossed a line, Weiss says. 'It's not so much a wedding as it's a business deal. Where's the romance?'

Karen Wood, president of Backstage Creations, which creates free gift bags for many awards shows, says just four years ago companies resisted giving freebies to celebrities. But in today's business world, it is a 'powerful' tool.

'Companies are shifting their advertising dollar because (giving stars freebies is) so much more effective' than newspaper or TV ads.

But Wood warns that negative publicity, such as that associated with Jones' wedding, 'might backfire on a brand.'

Re: Is it me or is Star Jones bringing new meaning to the words 'Tacky Bridezilla'

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Posted by DebMaher

Star Jones says 'I do' to wedding freebies
By Karen Thomas, USA TODAY
Like many brides, Star Jones wanted the very best of the best when she planned her wedding.

They’ll marry Saturday: Al Reynolds and Star Jones.
By Peter Kramer, Getty Images

But unlike most brides, she got much of it for free.

When she marries Al Reynolds Saturday in New York, The View co-host will have received donated invitations (from Encore Studios and The Stationery Studio), tuxedos (Sarno & Son) and bridesmaids' gowns (Lazaro Bridal). According to the couple's wedding Web site (www.starandal.com), they even have an 'official airline of our wedding weekend' (Continental).

What have the suppliers received in return? Potential public mentions, or plugs, for their products.

Wedding experts say Jones, a spokeswoman for Payless Shoes, has pushed product-placement and celebrity freebies to a new extreme. She has taken heat for soliciting freebies and for her on-air plugs for wedding suppliers on The View.

Jones has denied wrongdoing. A show spokesman says Jones' plugs on The View followed federal regulations, which prohibit on-air mentions in exchange for products. It's a murky area, but since the controversy arose, Jones has noticeably cut back on on-air wedding chatter.

Jones isn't the first star to get financial help for a wedding. Some cost-reducing tactics:

• Trade wedding products for possible publicity. Tori Spelling's bridal party received chocolates donated by a popular candy company. A trendy clothing company in L.A. routinely offers celeb brides sweatsuits for bridesmaids, and Hollywood brides rarely turn down the offer.

•Invite TV. The Bachelorette's Trista Rehn and Ryan Sutter earned $1 million from ABC to air their 2003 wedding. MTV picked up the tab for last year's wedding of Dave Navarro and Carmen Electra.

• Sell wedding photographs. Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas sold photo rights to their 2000 wedding for $1.8 million.

Most stars don't want freebies, says wedding planner Mindy Weiss, who worked with Jessica Simpson, 'because then they have to talk publicly about intimate parts of their lives' in exchange.

Jones' approach is a sign that the no-cost celebrity wedding has 'most definitely' crossed a line, Weiss says. 'It's not so much a wedding as it's a business deal. Where's the romance?'

Karen Wood, president of Backstage Creations, which creates free gift bags for many awards shows, says just four years ago companies resisted giving freebies to celebrities. But in today's business world, it is a 'powerful' tool.

'Companies are shifting their advertising dollar because (giving stars freebies is) so much more effective' than newspaper or TV ads.

But Wood warns that negative publicity, such as that associated with Jones' wedding, 'might backfire on a brand.'

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I have no issue with her getting things donated since celebs and non-celebs have done this too w/o any backlash. I'd take a free wedding in a second.

My issue with this farce of a wedding is her constant mention of it on the View (from what I have heard since I have not seen the show in ages) and she and this guy, Al, are plastered all over every magazine.

There are tons of rumors about the guy possibly being a homosexual and then other rumors about him being a womanizer - but I suppose she knows him well enough to know what's true.

She even has a locket on (all the time it seems) with pictures of them (like many mothers wear with pics of the kids). it just seems like she is way more about the wedding than the marriage.

There is even a web site for fans (and guests with a password).

It's finally over today though. I just saw a clip on Fox 5 News about it - ceremony at St. Barts and reception at the Waldorf Astoria.

It's just annoying but I think that's the case with all celebs who are over-exposed.....ala J-Lo who has nearly disappeared since her 3rd wedding.

Re: Is it me or is Star Jones bringing new meaning to the words 'Tacky Bridezilla'

i think she is a bridezilla for sure. i give her her props for getting all the stuff for free as if she needs it right. she was just annoying and a total bridezilla, glad its over

Re: Is it me or is Star Jones bringing new meaning to the words 'Tacky Bridezilla'

I agree that she is tacky to the extreme.

But more power to her for getting all of that stuff for free. It's so annoying because you know she has plenty of money to pay for it and she gets it for free while the rest of us are struggling. Ugh!!

Re: Is it me or is Star Jones bringing new meaning to the words 'Tacky Bridezilla'

I am just glad its over today

Re: Is it me or is Star Jones bringing new meaning to the words 'Tacky Bridezilla'

Shes annoying with all her wedding talk!

Re: Is it me or is Star Jones bringing new meaning to the words 'Tacky Bridezilla'

I think it's really tacky and lame and classless to try and get the stuff for free - she has the damn money to pay for it! She is obsessed with the wedding and the publicity - not the man.

I give it 2 years max.

Yes, terrible and cynical. But where is the love? She is all about the bling.

Re: Is it me or is Star Jones bringing new meaning to the words 'Tacky Bridezilla'

It's really annoying when people who can afford anything they want, get it all for free!!!

Re: Is it me or is Star Jones bringing new meaning to the words 'Tacky Bridezilla'

Tacky, tacky, tacky! She should be ashamed of herself. Thankfull, it is all over!

Re: Is it me or is Star Jones bringing new meaning to the words 'Tacky Bridezilla'

I thought it was really tacky, but I wouldn't expect anything less from her. Sorry, not a fan of her's.

Re: Is it me or is Star Jones bringing new meaning to the words 'Tacky Bridezilla'

I'd like to know how average people like us can get stuff donated. It makes me upset when people who obviously can afford stuff get it for free while the rest of us scrimp and save. Glad it's over. Hopefully we won't hear about it so much.

Re: Is it me or is Star Jones bringing new meaning to the words 'Tacky Bridezilla'

I don't care for her to begin with, she has no class.