Mormon Wives’ Jessi Ngatikaura Explains Her Reunion Pics: ‘Horrified’

The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ Jessi Ngatikaura is setting the record straight about those cast’s reunion photos.

“They released our reunion looks and obviously, I was horrified by the photos,” Jessi, 32, said via TikTok on Monday, December 1. “They make us take the photos at the end of the day when we’re all so done and when you watch the reunion, you’re gonna know why I feel the way I do.”

Jessi added that after filming the “explosive” reunion, the last thing they wanted to do was smile for the camera.

“Next year we’re gonna make sure we take really good photos and hopefully those are the ones they use,” Jessi noted.

Jessi then explained that she’s “learning” what her personal style is and that she hired a stylist “after the reunion,” but wanted to share the backstory behind her corset dress with a white-and-silver sequin skirt.

“For a month before the reunion, I was trying to put together mood boards and I was texting the girls, being like, ‘We need to have a color scheme because last reunion some of us were in jewel tones, some were in pastel, the styles were all over the place,’’ she said. “Our dresses did not flow and that really bugged me.”

Jessi went on to say that the color scheme she and “a few girls” landed on consisted of burgundy, emerald, antique gold, sage green, ivory and charcoal.

“I had my dress planned the very minute we knew we had a reunion,” Jessi shared. “I had this dress that I thought was amazing and I was holding onto it for something special.”

Jessi showed a picture of the red dress in question, which featured a sweetheart neckline and a fitted skirt. She was planning to team it with diamond accessories and matching red heels. Jessi even got her husband Jordan Ngatikaura’s suit custom-made to complement her outfit.

@_justjessiiii

A little tea on reunion looks 🤫

♬ original sound – Jessi Draper

“12 hours before the reunion, I get a call from production and they were like, ‘You need to change your dress’” because host Stassi Schroeder was planning to wear a similar look and didn’t have another option to change into.

Jessi added that the production team ended up choosing the white dress for her to wear — another piece from her closet.

“It’s not really what I would have worn for a reunion … and I was really, really sad about it,” she explained, “but the show must go on and I’m a team player.”

The JZ Salon owner concluded the video by sharing that if the Secret Lives of Mormon Wives cast gets another reunion in the future, she’ll be working with a stylist and “will not” change her ensemble “last minute.”

Jessi ended up wearing the white design with a diamond necklace and matching bracelets. For glam, she donned a full beat, including tan foundation, bronzed cheeks, filled-in eyebrows, pink lips and long lashes. Her freshly-dyed brunette hair was parted down the middle and styled in loose curls.

Jessi wasn’t the only cast member who was unhappy with her reunion photo. After Hulu and the show’s official Instagram shared the pics via social media on Monday, more of the women shared their thoughts in the comments section.

“You’ll [be] hearing from my lawyer after these,” Miranda Hope wrote. Mikayla Matthews also commented, “Not too late to delete 🥲,” while Jessi added, “I will never understand why you guys have us take these photos after a 12-hour day of screaming and crying😂😢 we look horrible and disassociated every single time.”

Fans agreed that the pictures didn’t do the cast justice.

“Whose taking these photos you have a group of gorgeous women and you did them all dirty with the lighting and angles 😭,” one wrote. A second social media user shared, “Are you mad at the girls? This lighting didn’t do anything for them…🥲,” while a third commented, “This show is literally making yall millions and you cannot give them a decent reunion photoshoot??? Were these taken with a phone? I’m so confused.”