There are so many reality shows on TLC that fans can't get enough of, from Darcy and Stacey to Unexpected. Another fascinating series is My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding which has been on the air since 2012 and has had six seasons so far.
Fans wonder if one of the show's storylines was faked, which tends to happen with these types of stories. Whether the dramatic scenes are real or not, one thing is for sure: dressmaker Sondra Celli has created some incredible designs, and fans are curious about how much money she is. Let's take a look at the designer's net worth.
$1.5 Million Net Worth
People can't stop watching reality shows about weddings and arguably, the best part is looking at the gown that the bride chooses. That's where Sondra Celli comes in.
Sondra Celli has a $1.5 million net worth. According to Celebrity Net Worth, she has explained that most people she works with are looking at a $5,000-$9,000 wedding dress budget but sometimes it can be more than that.
The dressmaker has had a long and successful career, as she started her own business called The Sondra Celli Company. She also designs clothing for babies and kids. With a degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC, she has become famous because of her time on My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding.
On Celli's website, her tagline reads "It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that bling!” and she has a large portfolio of her designs ranging from clothing to accessories.
It sounds like Celli makes money from her own company and from also being on the show. In an interview with Racked.com, Celli shared that besides working on the TLC show, she does a lot of business with people in New England, as she's based in the Boston area. She said she makes dresses for celebrations like quinceañeras, Bat Mitzvahs, christenings, and communion.
Life On 'My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding'
Celli has shared that the brides have some crazy ideas about the kinds of wedding dresses that they want.
According to The Daily Mail, she said of the brides who she works with, "'They're very materialistic and competitive. They're picking out pictures out of Vogue, they're fashion mavens, they know every possible magazine including everything on the internet in terms of bridal wear." She also said, "When they're not happy, [it means] there's not enough bling."
Of the dress that fans of the show want to wear themselves, Celli mentioned a pink dress that Priscilla, who was only 14 when she got married, wore in an episode. Celli explained, "People also want her rhinestone boots. But her gown is popular. It was packed with crystals and piped in neon pink because she loves Barbie pink." The dress is $10,000.
How It All Began
In an interview with Racked.com, Celli shared how she got started. She said that she put beading on sweaters that were sold in department stores in Hong Kong and Italy, and the gypsy population began buying her designs when she was in her 20's. She explained, "I called a friend who was older than me and she said I was shipping to gypsies in a trailer park; that's why they were all going to the same address." Her friend told her, "They like you because you're funky and blingy and you should keep them because they'll buy a lot from you."
Celli was asked to be on My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding and of course, she agreed, but she did let it be known that she would be loyal to the people who had supported her from the beginning. As she told Racked, "I said 'Listen, there's a lot of things I know that I'm never going to tell.' I'm friendly with them, I've been with them for 33 years; they are the bread-and-butter of my business. They've been unbelievable to me. They're hospitable."
Celli also talked about how she likes how colorful the designs are for this population of brides, and that the crystals on the dresses are what are the most expensive.
Celli told Racked that TV was never something that she would have considered. As she explained, "I think the reason they chose me is because I wasn't looking for it. I'm just your average girl from Waltham who built a business and somebody discovered it. I'm not blown away by it, but I think it's cool that it happened. I'd be doing this whether or not I was on TV."
Fans of My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding have fallen in love with the amazing gowns, which are often very colorful, and that is all Sondra Celli. She is super talented and it's sweet to see how humble she is and how passionate she is about her business.