‘we’re open to baby number two now our wedding has been postponed’
tv star Mario Falcone and his fiancée Becky Miesner tell OK! about pushing back their wedding for the third time as they enjoy a fun-filled family day out with their son
With restrictions easing, we’ve been enjoying more days out as life starts returning to some sort of normality. And we could think of no better place for Mario Falcone and his fiancée Becky Miesner to do exactly this than Port Lympne Reserve in Kent, along with their two-and-a-half-year-old son Parker.
From tucking into afternoon tea in the Moroccan Courtyard to hanging out with the lions and giraffes, it certainly was a trip to remember for the trio.
“Parker loves his animals so it was the perfect place for him,” says former TOWIE star Mario, 33. “He’s watching Madagascar right now!”
As OK! catches up with the couple following their excursion, they tell us how much it has meant to be able to spend so much time together over the past 15 months. But the pandemic has also meant the pair have had to postpone their wedding and, as they exclusively announce, they’ve decided to push it back once more. With their big day now set for 2022, they tell us they have turned their attention to baby number two.
Here, Mario and Becky, 32, who owns the Debut beauty salons in Brentwood and Wickford, tell OK! about the possibility of expanding their family and their evolving plans for their wedding…
Hi, Mario and Becky! How was your trip to Port Lympne?
Mario: It was amazing. We felt like we were in another country.
Becky: It was such a great thing to experience. Parker loved it.
Mario: We were so lucky to stay in the room we had because there is a two-year waiting list! When we walked in they had set it up so the lions were literally next to the window. It was incredible. I don’t think even on a safari in Kenya you would get that close to a lion. One of the lions roared in the night and Parker thought there was a monster outside.
How have you found the past 15 months of lockdowns?
Mario: We always used to say we wished for more time just the three of us, as we only used to get Sundays together because of Becky’s work, so to have that time has been amazing.
Becky: We never would have got that time together. Now the salons are back open it’s the busiest we’ve ever been since we opened 12 years ago. It was really worrying opening back up as it felt like starting again. The first lockdown was really stressful and it was upsetting to close, but the furlough scheme was a lifesaver with being able to keep all 18 of our staff paid.
You’ve had to postpone your wedding again due to the pandemic. How do you feel about that?
Mario: It is sad as I’ve been wanting to give Becky her dream day for the last three years. The first time it got cancelled it was because of Parker, so something far better came along, and now twice because of Covid so it will be fourth time lucky next summer. But we know we’re lucky – we have our health, Parker and each other. It’s not like the day is never going to happen. Becky: It’s out of our hands so I’m not getting upset about it any more. My dress is still sitting in the shop. When it does finally happen, the wedding will be amazing. Mario: Exactly. We were waiting for the first green list and once we got that we thought, “This is too stressful.” No one has flights booked, we can’t quarantine and we can’t expect our guests to. It’s also the expense of the PCR tests [a medical swab test for Covid-19]. I went to Portugal recently for work and it ended up costing me £1,000! Both my sisters have a few children so it will be a hell of a lot of money. With all the restrictions in place as well, it’s not your wedding day if you have to think about wearing a mask or not being able to dance. Our mindset is on getting married next year.
Is Parker going to play any formal role in your big day?
Becky: I’d love for him to be a little pageboy and walk down the aisle with me, but I think he will probably dictate what happens on the day!
Mario: He’ll be charging round with his cousins having the best day of his life. My sister Giovanna [Fletcher]’s children will be pageboys and my other sister Giorgina’s children will be a pageboy and flower girl. I have a tailor making me a bespoke suit, and me and Parker are going to have matching suits. With it being delayed, it’s actually worked out better because if we’d got married when we were supposed to the first time, Parker would have been a bit of a pain. He was only six months old and Becky was still breastfeeding so she wouldn’t have been able to properly enjoy herself.
Are you inviting anyone from TOWIE? Mario: No, it’s very close friends and family. The only celebrity coming is Vicky Pattison. I’ve always remained really good friends with her – myself, Becky and Parker all love her and Ercan. They’re like family to me. Of course, Giovanna and Tom [Fletcher, who is one of his best men] will also be there but they’re not celebs to me. Although Gi is queen of the castle now! I’ll probably have a big English party when we get back and I’ll invite a few people from TOWIE. I wouldn’t invite the whole cast – it would just be a select few who I still speak to and like. I still speak to Pete Wicks, Lockie, Ferne Mccann, Danni Armstrong and Tommy Mallet.
‘Our wedding will be close friends and family Only’
Do you have regrets over leaving the show?
I wish I’d have left sooner if I’m honest.
I think I sacrificed mental health a lot with that show and I did it for so long, but I have no animosity towards the show. I really enjoyed going back for the 10th anniversary with Parker and for people to see me in that light because Parker is the proudest thing in my life. I’ll always be open to doing bits like that.
Is baby number two still on the cards now you’ve postponed the wedding again? Mario: We’re definitely open to giving Parker a little brother or sister now we know the wedding is next year. I don’t think we’ll put pressure on it though, as that’s when it doesn’t happen. We don’t do the whole ovulation sticks because it’s too much pressure. I’m not a performing monkey for three days of the month. It’s more just lack of prevention and enjoying the process! If it happens then fantastic and if not it will come after the wedding and we’ll have something to look forward to.
Becky, would you consider getting married while pregnant?
Becky: Ideally no, but we do want to give Parker a sibling so we just have to see what happens. I wouldn’t rule it out, but it would depend how far into the pregnancy I was.
Would you love to have a daughter? Becky: It would be lovely to have one of each, but I think we’re destined for all boys. Mario: Obviously you want a girl because it completes your little family, but to me having a healthy baby is the only thing that matters.
You hear so many horrible things. If we have another boy then I think there will definitely be a third because Becky wants a girl. I’ve always said I want three children and if it’s three boys then great.
Becky: No, if we had two boys and decided to keep our family like that then I’d be happy.
Has seeing Giovanna with her three boys made you want three children? Mario: Absolutely not! I don’t know how they do it – they work so hard and have so many projects going on, as well as looking after the boys. I joked with Tom the other day and said, “Giovanna said you’re going to have a fourth,” and he was like, “Absolutely not!” When Becky and I got together, I always envisioned us having three kids – I’m one of three and so is Becky.
What would Parker be like with a sibling? Becky: One minute he keeps asking for a baby and wants to hold his teddies like a baby and the next I pick up the dog and he says, “No, my mummy, my cuddle!” Mario: He’s obsessed with Buzz, Buddy and Max [Giovanna and Tom’s children]. I think he’d be helpful and want to get involved.
Last month, Mario, you shared an old picture of yourself on Instagram which was taken a week before you tried to take your own life. What sort of response did you get to that post?
Mario: It was quite overwhelming. Everyone knows about my mental health from the past, but when I speak about it everyone acts as if I’m cured and I never have any problems. But it’s so the opposite. Sometimes my anxiety is worse – I just know how to cope with it now. There are things that come with being a dad and there are so many things I never realised you had to worry about. It’s not just financial stuff – the world we live in right now isn’t very nice so you worry about those things. But my coping mechanisms are really good and I have amazing people around me like Becky who I can talk to when I have a down day. I didn’t want that post to be like, “Once, years ago, I tried to take my life and now I have an amazing family…” because I still have my issues – I’ve just learnt to live with them.
What are your coping mechanisms? Mario: Training, spending time with people who I feel uplift me and taking time for myself. It’s about what I let into my mind, whether that be on TV or social media, and the people I surround myself with. They’re my triggers, as well as alcohol. I don’t go to counselling any more as I don’t feel I need to.
Becky, you sound very supportive… Becky: Of course. It can be hard with someone who suffers quite badly with their mental health, but it’s something I’ve learnt a lot about from Mario. We’re quite chalk and cheese on this. You need someone to speak rationally and I’m very black and white with things and that helps ease the pressure.