Kevin Covey is the perfect ringmaster for an over-the-top wedding day that sounds more like a circus. With a horse and carriage, magician, face painter, and a bride who dresses to the nines, it may take a lot of wrangling to make it to the ring exchange.

Madelyn Aldridge and Dane Thompson met through Madelyn’s beautician, Ronnie. Madelyn was interested in meeting someone new for her birthday, and when she told Ronnie, he realized he had the guy for her. He quickly arranged for Dane to make an “impromptu” visit to the salon. Madelyn was under the hair dryer, but luckily, that didn’t matter to Dane. But what might have mattered was a ten-year age difference between Madelyn and Dane. The bride-to-be is 36, whereas her fiancé is 26. Dane wasn’t scared off, though. He wanted to see how their relationship would progress.

And progress it did – what started as just having fun eventually became something serious. After three years of dating, Dane proposed on a trip to Jamaica. Dane took the traditional, romantic route and proposed in a garden. The couple’s goals for the wedding are realistic: to produce an event that the couple is proud of and has worked hard for. But although this is a down-to-earth dream, it’s also a stressful chore. The couple’s guest list tripled from 100 to 300, and the put-together bride doesn’t really have much put together.

By bringing Kevin in only three weeks before the big day, he has no choice but to play catch-up with his bride and groom. And he will have to catch up, because Madelyn is literally running a marathon of sorts. Her big priorities at the moment are to lose pounds and inches, and to take ten years off her appearance. Madelyn has even hired a trainer to help her with her goals. Well, at least this bride has a way to vent her frustrations.

Our other planner for this episode, Linnyette Richardson-Hall, is proud to call herself the diva of wedding planning, as she is the creative director and principal consultant of her planning business. Juanita Filmore and Jermaine Wallace have a suitably grand vision for their wedding, but it will be up to Linnyette to make their vision a reality. Linnyette has taken over the reigns and is letting Juanita just be the bride.

Juanita and Jermaine met in college. The two started a mentoring program that paired up students to help each other in their studies. Jermaine was the big dog on campus and Juanita was just a freshman. After her freshman year, the two started dating, but not too seriously – until after a car accident. It took that accident for Jermaine to realize someone like Juanita was who he wanted on his side. But first came a little surprise. Juanita became pregnant and gave birth to the couple’s daughter. With this new life in the midst of their relationship, Juanita began to put pressure on Jermaine for a marriage proposal. Like most men, Jermaine admits he hesitated at the thought, until Juanita threatened to move out with his daughter. On Christmas 2007, Jermaine gifted Juanita with the gift she wanted most: an engagement ring.

They’ve got love, and the baby carriage. Now comes the wedding planning. Juanita’s big dreams for her wedding are a little far from reality at times. Jermaine doesn’t understand, saying he could get married in a courthouse. However, that just won’t do, so the couple will marry in a church. They’ve amassed $25,000 to pay for their wedding day expenses. Jermaine points out that the wedding is equal to a down payment on a house or a car, but Juanita wouldn’t have the money spent any other way.

And Juanita has good taste. A long time fan of Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?, this bride-to-be decided on her favorite wedding planner, Linnyette. So when she saw Linnyette in a local store with her kids, she approached the planner. Getting Linnyette to take over the wedding planning is probably the best purchase Juanita will make for this wedding.