ABC will broadcast Trista's $1 million wedding

On the plus side, ”The Bachelorette” star Trista Rehn and her fiancé, Ryan Sutter, will get a big fat wedding present from ABC of $1 million; plus, they won’t have to worry about a wedding video, since the network plans to document the nuptials in a miniseries with four hour-long episodes. On the minus side, they won’t have final say over any of the details, from Rehn’s gown to the bridal party’s outfits to the food and music. While the couple will have ”meaningful consultation” on what they would like for their own wedding, and while the network promises them it will be a ”first-class, high-end wedding,” the producers still get to approve all the decisions, according to a contract unearthed at The Smoking Gun.

Among the contract stipulations: This must be the first wedding for both Rehn, 30, and Sutter, 28 (that is, no eloping before the telecast), and if, for some reason, they don’t make it to the altar, they have to give back whatever portion of the $1 million they’ve earned to date (so far, just the $100,000 signing bonus they picked up in May), as well as whatever damages the producers might be awarded in a lawsuit against them. They’ll earn another $400,000 during the production of the series and the remaining $500,000 after the wedding, which is to take place no later than next Feburary.

One detail ABC will likely approve is Bob Guiney’s wish to sing at the wedding. Though he lost out to fireman Ryan, Guiney has no hard feelings toward Trista or ABC, which has made him the star of this fall’s fourth season of ”The Bachelor,” after which he may get his own televised wedding.

In the meantime, let’s hope he gets a better deal than Trista did during her run as Bachelorette. The Smoking Gun also found her series contract with ABC. ”Bachelorette” may have been the 13th-highest rated show of the 2002-03 season and the highest-rated entertainment show on ABC (only ”Monday Night Football” did better for the network), but Rehn earned only a $15,000 ”honorarium” meant to reimburse her for ”living expenses and personal trainer fees incurred.” At least the network is making it up to her now.