Trista Rehn of The Bachelorette inched one step closer to the altar by putting on a veil and wedding dress for the December/January cover of Modern Bride, becoming the magazine's first engaged celebrity cover bride in 54 years.
Professional models have always graced the cover of Modern Bride, but Editor in Chief Antonia van der Meer chose to take a different approach with the debut of the "Real Weddings Issue," selecting Rehn as the magazine's first-ever engaged, prominent cover model.
"Our Real Weddings Issue is devoted entirely to real brides' own experiences and advice, so we decided to also feature a real bride on the cover," says van der Meer. "Trista has become a household name by being America's real-bride-next-door. And of course, meeting and marrying your spouse on TV is about as modern as courtship can get."
The reality TV romance star met with van der Meer in Marina del Rey, California to answer questions collected from betrothed ladies everywhere before jumping aboard a yacht to model gowns for the magazine's cover. According to Rehn, the best thing she has learned about fiance Ryan Sutter since her show, The Bachelorette, ended is that "He does the perfect tickle. Not all guys can do that just right."
Rehn talked about gradually going brunette and getting in better shape for the wedding, where, Modern Bride has learned, Rehn will wear a strapless Badgley Mischka bridal gown with a full skirt. She has a beauty plan, including trying Pilates, tanning and getting frequent facials. Rehn says, "I'm in change mode! I obviously want to look good for Ryan."
When asked about fear of a television wedding the blushing bride-to-be admits to "have all the normal fears that all brides have, like tripping on the walk down the aisle," although she is used to being surrounded by cameras and says "I don't think about all the people watching."
When it comes to Sutter's interest in planning the wedding, Rehn says "He wanted to be all involved at first but then we did the guest list together and it was hard! So then [Ryan] said 'No more!'" She adds that Sutter still has opinions about the cake and says, "He's a big dessert freak."
The full interview with Bachelorette Trista appears in Modern Bride magazine's "Real Weddings Issue" available on newsstands October 21, 2003. Behind-the-scenes footage of Trista Rehn's photo shoot with Modern Bride will appear on ABC's three-episode show "Trista and Ryan's Wedding," which premieres on Wednesday, November 26 at 9:00 p.m. ET.