Imagine being told you’re getting married in just 10 days—to a complete stranger. That’s exactly what happened to Bianca Petronzi, a standout star from Married At First Sight UK 2023, who walked down the aisle to marry JJ Slater in a whirlwind experience that left her with barely enough time to pick out a wedding dress. In an exclusive interview with The Sun, Bianca spilled all the juicy details about her fast-tracked journey on the hit E4 reality show, revealing the chaotic, exhilarating, and sometimes stressful behind-the-scenes moments that shaped her MAFS adventure.
Bianca’s path to Married At First Sight was anything but ordinary. “I put my application forward at the end of November,” she shared, “and from the beginning of January, I was literally fast-tracked through the process.” Before she knew it, she was thrust into the world of reality TV romance, with just 10 days to prepare for her wedding day. “Next thing I knew, I only had 10 days to get a wedding dress,” she revealed, laughing at the sheer absurdity of the timeline. “I was like, what the hell? What do I do?”
With no time for alterations or custom fittings, Bianca had to make do with what was available. “That’s why I ended up with what I had,” she explained, “because it was literally the only thing that would just fit straight on.” The pressure was on, and the clock was ticking.
Finding the perfect wedding dress is a challenge under normal circumstances, but doing it in under two weeks? That’s next-level stress. Bianca revealed that the show provided an allowance for the wedding essentials. “They send you money, and then you buy your wedding dress, your wedding shoes, etc.,” she said. While some of the other brides on the show were lucky enough to have their dresses gifted, Bianca had to scramble to find something that worked within the tight timeframe.
The logistics of the wedding itself added another layer of complexity. The location was chosen based on the number of guests each participant could bring. Since JJ had more guests than Bianca, the wedding took place in London—far from her home. “It was really hard to get a wedding dress, tell all my friends and family,” she admitted. “Not even all my friends could come because it was down south, and it was really hard for them to get there.”
The distance meant Bianca had to travel three and a half to four hours to the venue, staying in a hotel the night before the big day, while JJ’s journey was a mere hour. “It was so much closer for him,” she noted, highlighting the uneven challenges they faced in the lead-up to their televised nuptials.
Bianca didn’t shy away from addressing the emotional toll of her MAFS experience. In a shocking revelation, she shared that the so-called “villain” of her series had called her ugly, a comment that sent her self-esteem plummeting. Despite the hurtful moment, Bianca’s resilience shone through as she navigated the highs and lows of the experiment.
Reflecting on her ex-husband JJ Slater, who has since moved on to a high-profile relationship with former glamour model Katie Price, Bianca showed nothing but grace. “I don’t have any bad blood towards him,” she said. “I’m very happy for him and Katie. He seems to be very happy with her, so I’m happy that he’s found someone who he can grow a life with and have experiences with.” Her positivity and maturity highlight the personal growth she gained from the MAFS journey, even if the marriage itself didn’t last.
Bianca’s story is a testament to the wild, unpredictable nature of Married At First Sight. From a lightning-fast application process to a 10-day sprint to the altar, her experience was a whirlwind of emotions, logistics, and life-changing moments. The show’s unique premise—pairing strangers for marriage—comes with a level of chaos that viewers rarely see on screen, but Bianca’s candid revelations pull back the curtain on what it’s really like to say “I do” under such extraordinary circumstances.
For Bianca, those 10 days were a blur of wedding dress shopping, travel logistics, and emotional preparation for a life-altering commitment. Yet, despite the challenges, she embraced the adventure with an open heart, proving that sometimes the craziest experiences lead to the most unforgettable stories.