The travellers' Romeo and Juliet: 'Gorger' Sam marries gypsy Pat in the biggest dress ever seen in the Romany world

By Sarah Bull


-Couple talk about their first six months as husband and wife
-Sam 'nervous' about adjusting but now finds caravan 'cosy
-Viewers' outrage over six-year-old girl's spray tan for Holy Communion


Fairytale: Pat and Sam married on Channel 4's Big Fat Gypsy Wedding


The thought of becoming a traveller after growing up in a completely different culture would be daunting for any young woman.

But last night on Big Fat Gypsy Weddings, it was a true tale of a modern-day Romeo and Juliet when 17-year-old barmaid Sam, a non-traveller or 'gorger' as they are known in the gypsy world, married traveller Pat.

The romance goes against everything the travelling world are working for - to keep their traditions and history alive.


However, Pat, 20, and Sam are just two ordinary young people in love, and insist their marriage is absolutely the most important thing in their lives.

Sam said: 'I'm not a gypsy and Sam isn't a gypsy - he's just my partner. I've known him for a long time and we are best mates.

'Most couples start living together first but we can't live together because they don't believe in living together before getting married, so we're going to get married first.'


Traditional: Guests expected Sam to choose something modest, but she wanted to prove she was one of them


But dressmaker Thelma Madine, who is responsible for Sam's truly incredible gown, thinks there might be fireworks at the ceremony.

She explained: 'They don't want their society diluted by non-travellers so a non-traveller coming into the traveller community is going to dilute it. I would imagine there'll be people at the ceremony thinking this isn't right.'

But tree surgeon Pat stood his ground about the relationship, saying: 'My best friend was like, "Why are you going with a non-traveller girl?" And I was like, "It's my life, my choice".


Bling: Sam wore diamante gloves and had mechanical butterflies all over her dress


'There will be travellers thinking that it's not the right thing to do. If they have a problem with it they can come and talk to me but it won't change my plans for the future.'

Thelma helped Sam start her journey into the gypsy lifestyle by creating her 20-stone huge pink dress, which came complete with fibre-optic lights and mechanical butterflies.

Talking about the dress Sam had chosen, Thelma said: 'I don't know if she's trying to fit in or if she's trying to show she knows their ways and how they dress.'


Cramped: Sam struggled to fit her 20-stone dress into her Cinderella carriage as she headed to the church


Classy: The carriage was identical to the one Katie Price had when she married Peter Andre in 2005


But, whatever the reasons for the gown, Sam couldn't hide her delight when she saw her gown for the first time accompanied by mother Linda and sister Tiffany.

She said: 'I love it. It's gorgeous. I wasn't expecting it to look that nice.'

And mother Linda added: 'I am buzzing. I just can't wait to see her in the dress and walking through the door - if she can fit!

'Some might disapprove but I'm made up for her. She knows what she wants and she's happy with Pat. Both me and her dad are happy to be with him so no qualms whatsoever.

'I've never seen a dress as stunning in my life. It's absolutely amazing.'


Tight fit: Sam struggled to get her truly incredible gown down the narrow aisle of the church


Corset is! The bridesmaids wore black and pink corseted dresses with trains for the ceremony


However, Thelma acknowledged there was more than a little chance that the battery packs and layers of taffeta could pose a fire risk.

She said: 'We're really not sure if it's safe. Look at Michael Jackson, he had everyone looking after him but you can't stop fire.

'I'm a bit worried about the fire issue so we've decided we'll take a fire extinguisher with us just in case.'


Lavish: Sam Norton, 17, wore a 20st pink dress with mechanical butterflies on the bodice and lights in the veil


Over-the-top: Sam and Patrick at their wedding reception, where the lights on her dress come into their own


And Thelma also refused to reveal how much the dress, which had 21 skirts underneath it, cost, insisting: 'I can't tell you how much it cost, customer confidentiality. Nobody would ever trust me again.'

Ahead of the wedding, Sam began the travelling lifestyle early when she went shopping for a caravan with her husband-to-be.

But the couple did have some very specific requests, including looking for a trailer without a toilet, because travellers instead go to the toilet outside in sheds.


Loved-up: After the ceremony, Pat insisted Sam is the perfect wife for him


And while moving from a house to a caravan might not be the ideal situation for everybody, Sam insisted she was looking forward to a change in lifestyle.

She said: 'I don't really think it's a big deal. It's just like going to look at houses - it's just the same. It's still going to be where we live so it's still going to be our home. I don't see it any different.'

Talking to Pat, Sam added: 'I think it's nice how they are help each other. It's a bit of an adventure that I'm moving into a trailer and it's something different but I don't care where we live.

'I don't care if we lived in a bin as long as I can live with you.'

But the difference in lifestyles quickly became apparent when Sam took her bridesmaids, which included Pat's cousin, to get their dresses from a corset shop.

Asked what the differences are between travellers and the gorgers, Pat's cousin said: 'We would never swear in front of a man. We would rather die than do that. I think it's shameful.'


New lifestyle: Sam is having to give up her old life and take on a whole new life living in a caravan


At which point Sam took great delight in swearing in front of all her bridesmaids and groom Pat.

She said: 'The only people who will judge me are the travellers who don't know me. But I don't care what they think because I love him and he loves me and that's all that matters.'

Then the actual wedding day arrived, with Sam taking ages to ensure her gown was as perfect as it could ever be.

After managing to squeeze into her dress, Sam then made her way outside to her fairytale carriage - identical to the one Katie Price arrived in when she married Peter Andre.

But the teenager did admit she was struggling to cope with the gown as she was sitting in the carriage, laughing: 'I can't breathe. And I'm claustrophobic as well!'

And she wasn't the only one struggling, as her little sister Tiffany was also finding it difficult in her pink dress - a mini version of Sam's dress, a gypsy tradition.


Specific: Pat eyes up a trailer in the couple's price range, but admits they are looking for a vehicle without a toilet


In sharp contrast to Sam's cramped arrival at the church, Pat arrived in a pimped-out monster truck, worth a staggering £250,000.

Asked how he was feeling, Pat said: 'I'm very nervous and I imagine Sam will be exactly the same.

'Two different communities coming together today. I think it's unfair to try and say that there are difference - what is that going to do for anyone. We aren't different.'

But everything turned out fine when he finally saw his bride, saying afterwards: 'She looks absolutely amazing, honestly.'

However, it wasn't until the celebrations moved to the nearby social club that Sam unveiled her piece de résistance when she turned on the lights on her dress for the first dance.


Beauty queen: The little girl struggles to get down the steps of her caravan in the massive dress


The effect, however, was slightly affected by the sight of a nervous Thelma standing on the side of the dancefloor clutching a fire extinguisher.

And while the guests were united by the sight of Sam's truly impressive dress, there was still a definitely divide throughout the night - with gypsies on one side of the room and non-travellers on the other side.

After the ceremony, Pat said: 'I feel like I'm literally the luckiest man in the world. She's everything I've ever dreamed of. I couldn't have asked for a better wife.

'We are all one family now.'

But dressmaker Thelma admitted she doubts whether the wedding will set the tone for the future, explained: 'It would be so lovely if the travellers and non-travellers joined together because of a couple.

'But whether that will happen or not is another thing because there are some staunch travellers who won't like it.'


Look at us! Molly and her cousins show off their outfits following the communion ceremony


But today Sam and Pat spoke for the first time about their first six months as husband and wife.

Speaking to the Daily Mirror, Sam admitted she was nervous about moving into a tiny caravan with a new community of people, having been brought up in a three-bedroom house.

She said: 'At first Pat was a bit worried about taking me back there. His family are really nice people so that helped a lot.

'I had already been in the caravan, too. The week before I out all my things in it - my dolls and my clothes - so that made it easier.

'Now I enjoy it here more than I did being in a house. If you are not well, somebody will come in and see if you are all right and wash and clean.'

And Sam added that she would like to stay in a caravan for the rest of her life - although Pat would like to move to a house one day.

She said: 'I guess 'cos it would be something different for him and this is like an adventure for me.'


Getting bronzed: Six-year-old Mary Ann had a spray tan before her holy communion


It's sticky! Mary Ann said she didn't like the feel of the spray tan but insisted she isn't too young to have one


While the wedding was the main focus of the Channel 4 show, it also looked at two young gypsy girls celebrating their holy communion.

First up was eight-year-old Molly, who wore a huge white dress and tiara for her special day, as well as a full face of make-up.

Asked what cosmetics she was wearing, Molly replied: 'Mascara, rouge, lipstick, a beauty spot, and pink rouge.'

And, to try and educate Molly about the traveller traditions, Molly's grandmother insisted the communion would be solely travellers.


Finishing touches: The pair ensure their outfits are completely perfect before they leave the trailer


She later said: 'It's was lovely for the children today and everyone really enjoyed themselves. It's good to keep these traditions up.'

And after the communion, it was time for Molly and her cousins to turn their attention to the party.

Wearing provocative outfits which are undoubtedly too revealing for young girls to wear, the children danced suggestively to songs by stars including Lady Gaga.

Asked where they had picked up the moves, the children said: 'We're dancing to hip hop music because I hate that mellow music.

'We copy dance moves off the telly and stuff, we just learned. We learn from the singers like pop stars,' before naming Beyonce and Shakira among their favourites.

As well as Molly's holy communion, six-year-old Mary Ann, who lives on the Dale Farm travellers' site in Essex was also seen celebrating her big day.


Provocative: One of the young girls wore a black and pink outfit as she danced outside the trailer


But as well as make-up, Mary Ann went to a further length to ensure she looked perfect for the communion, going into the town to have a spray tan.

And when she was questioned on the correct age to have a spray tan, Mary Ann replied: 'I think people should start getting spray tans at 6. People at six are big and people that's only two or one is small.'

But this has caused outrage among viewers who said that the girls were being 'sexualised', with forums going crazy about the subject.

On one, a user called Andagha said: 'The salons should be shut down if they agree to spray a 6yr old', while another called 2shy2007 added: 'This is worse than those awful Americal pageants. sickening really.'

Speaking to the Sun today, Sophie Freeguard of the parent6ing website Netmums said: 'In this case it is not about making the children sexy, they are just dressed up as dolls.

'But the outcome in some cases can be sexualisation.'


Colourful: The girls dance to music from Lady Gaga and Beyonce as they admit they pick up their moves from music videos


Mary Ann's mother Margaret had decided to organise the communion for her daughter and her niece, also called Mary Ann, because Dale Farm is at risk of being bulldozed by the council.

She explained: 'The reason being why now is because we are facing eviction. If we get evicted out of here we will all have to go our separate ways.'

While Mary Ann appeared to be thoroughly enjoying her huge white dress for the communion, she was later forced to change out of the heavy gown because it was chaffing her skin.

She instead decided to wear a tiny orange top and miniskirt with heels - a similar outfit to the ones sported by the other children on the site.

In a teaser for next week's show, Channel 4 promise to show viewers exactly what it's like to live as a traveller woman, with one young lady admitting: 'We can't become doctors or lawyers - we just become housewives.'


Source:Dailymail