housewives featured on the seventh season of The Real Housewives of Orange County returned for the eighth instalment. With the five former wives returning, the season also featured a new wife, Lydia McLaughlin. McLaughlin is described as a "fresh-faced, level headed and surprisingly direct OC heiress" as well as a "young, kooky mother always puts her family and faith first." Along with all the housewives returning, former housewife Lauri Peterson returned in a recurring capacity. Peterson returned supporting Tamra Barney with her wedding duties as well as revealing some gossip about Vicki Gunvalson. Although Alexis Bellino returned for the eighth season, in September 2012, she originally quit after the seventh due to no longer wanting to be around the drama and bullying. Bellino allegedly received a call from the producers asking her to reconsider and after thinking about it, she decided to return to the series. Bellino claims the reason for her return was to set an example for her kids and to prove bullies don't win saying "do I really want my children to think that mommy quit her career or that mommy let those bullies win? No. I’m going to go back and fight and make my statement." Barney and Judge take the next step in their relationship when they move in together as they prepare for their upcoming nuptials. Her and the other ladies head to Mexico for her bachelorette party. The bachelorette events prepared by Heather Dubrow and Gretchen Rossi don't go to plan when Vicki Gunvalson steps in and takes control to make things more fun. This marks the beginning of an end of Barney and Rossi newly formed friendship. Barney and Judge mix personal with business as they arrange for the opening of their fitness studio Cut Fitness. Barney opens old wounds when she speaks at the Los Angeles Women's Expo, where details of her past that she has kept secret for years. Bellino becomes friends with Gunvalson after feeling isolated from several of the housewives. Her isolation with the other wives worsens at a dinner at Barney's gym, where Bellino reveals she has had to go on Xanax due to the "bullying." McLaughlin disagrees with Bellino's choice of words which creates a divide in their friendship and leaves the other wives seeing McLaughlin as her own person and not just Bellino's friend. Away from the drama, Bellino and her husband relish in their