David Tutera’s CELEBrations Recap: Ambush Wedding [Episode 8]

It’s summer time in David’s world and he’s swimming with Joey and Cielo when Slomique calls with news. Someone wants David to throw a wedding. Finally! This is what made David famous. Slomique tells him that the couple are both dancers. Who cares that most people don’t know who these two dancers are. It’s a wedding by David Tutera!

The following day David arrives at a café to meet the couple. Slomique tells David that the groom, Jonathan Platero, was on So You Think You Can Dance? Jonathan and a woman arrive at the café, but she’s not the fiancé. She’s the fiancé’s friend, Randi (with an i). Jonathan shows David pictures of his fiancé, Oksana Dmytrenko, who was on Dancing with the Stars for 5 seasons. Jonathan surprised Oksana with the proposal and now wants to surprise her with a wedding. Welcome to: Ambush Weddings by David Tutera. What every girl dreams of.

Randi (with an i) is Oksana’s best friend and knows what type of wedding dress and flowers she wants. David thinks this is a bad idea. He warns Jonathan that he will have to live with each decision for the rest of his life. Jonathan does not heed the warning. He tells David that Oksana loves Rio Carnival and water and the beach. David insists he meet Oksana. Typically he spends 6 to 12 months with a bride, he needs at least ten minutes with Oksana. Slomique has the idea of an audition for dancers to be in one of David’s events. David is still not on board with the idea, but when Jonathan mentions that Maksim Chmerkovskiy will be the best man, David has a change of heart.

At the dance studio, to make it look somewhat real, Slomique and David watch two other dance couples before Jonathan and Oksana. David asks how long they’ve each been dancing. Oksana has been dancing since she was 6 in Ukraine and Jonathan has been dancing since he was 7 in America. They’re engaged and have been dancing together for the past 2 years. David asks Oksana if she’ll get married here or back home. Have you watched the news lately? Welcome to: War-torn Weddings by David Tutera.

Oksana is alone in America, her entire family still in Ukraine. This makes David sad. The good news is: they passed the audition! Privately, Jonathan tells David that Oksana has not seen her mother in 6 years. This gives David the idea to surprise both Jonathan and Oksana by flying in her mother from Ukraine. The Ukraine. Slomique is now in charge of making this happen – in 10 days.

David, Slomique, and Alissa are at a bridal boutique. Jonathan enters alone. Randi (with an i) couldn’t make it. The best friend that knew what dress Oksana wanted couldn’t make it. Every decision is now up to Jonathan. Test #1: Invitations. Metallic or matte? Metallic. Pass. Test #2: Chargers. No, not the kind of charger for your phone. Fail. Test #3: Cake. Jonathan says he doesn’t know anything about cake. Come on man, do you know what Oksana likes? Chocolate? Vanilla? These are first date questions. Fail. Test#4: The dress. Jonathan starts to sweat. He’s not sure. He thinks she might have mentioned mermaid. Yay! Pass. Unfortunately, Jonathan looks like he’s going to faint. He needs fresh air stat and leaves. David says he has a runaway groom. So funny.

Sometime later, Slomique meets Jonathan at the bakery to see how he’s holding up, though they still never pick out a cake. Jonathan is overwhelmed. Slomique tells him about their plans to fly in Oksana’s mom for the wedding. And guess what? She’s ready to Skype with the mom right now and has already made plans for a translator to be with the mom since she and Jonathan don’t speak Russian and the mom doesn’t speak English. Jonathan is excited. They sign-on and have such a crisp, clear connection with Ukraine you’d think her mom was at the café next door (wink, wink). Mom thinks it’s a great idea. Jonathan feels better about robbing his fiancé of her special day surprising his fiancé with a beautiful wedding.

It’s the day of the wedding which is at a public beach in Malibu. David is trying to reach Slomique by phone, but it’s rolling over to voicemail. She’s on the phone with the airlines trying to find out if Oksana’s mom and little brother that Oksana has never met are on the flight to Los Angeles but the rude customer service rep keeps hanging up on her. Ever heard of Homeland Security? The airlines can’t release names from the flight manifest.

At the beach, everything is white. The tables, chairs, linens, tents. Not seeing much Rio in the décor. Slomique tells David that she can’t confirm if Oksana’s family made the flight, but she’s going to the airport and hoping for the best. Oksana is the picture of calm as her hair and makeup are applied. Jonathan is pacing. David comes in to tell the couple that this photo shoot will be high editorial. He instructs that it is very important to his fashion line that when Oksana and Jonathan take the photos, David sees the love in their eyes. And when they dance, they are to imagine the first time they met and fell in love.

Oksana comes out wearing her wedding dress. She’s beautiful in the white lace, full length dress, and would look good in a paper sack, too, but the dress is not mermaid style and it’s much too simple. The guests are hiding in the cabanas as Jonathan, Oksana, and David arrive at the beach. Oksana asks David for a discount for their upcoming wedding and David says they should wait to see how today goes. So true. Oksana might want a refund.

As the three stand on the stage, Jonathan says to Oksana, “What if I told you this was your actual wedding?” Oksana giggles and looks to David. Then she cries. But they are tears of joy! This is why she loves Jonathan; he’s full of surprises. Suddenly all of the guests emerge from the cabanas. Maks gives Oksana a big kiss and several other friends from the show hug her. The pastor asks who has the rings. Jonathan doesn’t know what happened to them. This is when Oksana’s mom and little brother come out. Tears and kisses ensue. The happy couple says I do and are married.

Oksana thought something was up, but never a wedding and her mom’s arrival. Jonathan’s new mother-in-law calls his him “a little shit” in Russian for throwing a surprise wedding. Perhaps something was lost in translation. David declares the event a success as the Rio Carnival dancers show up to perform. But wait, there’s more. The couple will stay the night in one of the hotel suites. But wait, there’s more. David surprises the couple with 4 days in Puerto Rico. Arriba Honeymoon!

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