With wedding season fast approaching, many brides are preparing to walk down the aisle. Amidst the chaos, nerves and endless planning, sometimes the best thing you can do is pause and curl up on the sofa to watch a film. And what would be better to watch than a wedding movie? The big screen is the perfect place to look for inspiration, ease pre-wedding jitters or just to simply enjoy the celebration of love, and we’ve compiled a list of must-watch films for the bride and groom before their big day. So, whether you're looking for a girl's night in, a quiet night in with your fiancé, or just a solo movie night to get you away from the craziness of the wedding, have a flick through this list to find the perfect film for you.
This 1991 classic is a comedy starring Steve Martin as an overprotective father whose daughter returns from studying abroad and announces that she is engaged. You watch as he navigates the chaos of planning his daughter's wedding while dealing with an over-the-top wedding consultant and his assistant. This film will make you remember the importance of family throughout the whole wedding process.
The 2005 rom-com stars Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson as divorce mediators who crash weddings to drink, dance and meet women. When they both find unexpected romance at a particularly high-profile wedding, it leads to a wild weekend away with an influential family. This film will have you laughing all night long, but it may make you keep a closer eye on who is coming in and out of your wedding because you certainly don't want anyone high jacking your big day to eat, drink and start their own romance like these two.
Released in 2008, this is still one of the most popular wedding movies to date. Jane Nichols (Katerine Heigl) is always the bridesmaid, never the bride, until she meets Kevin Doyle (James Marsden); wedding reporter, marriage cynic, and Heigl’s love interest. This is the perfect movie if you're struggling with finding bridesmaids' dresses because there is an abundance of inspiration from Jane and her wardrobe.
Kristen Wiig plays Annie, who becomes maid of honour for her best friend, Lillian, and is thrown into elaborate wedding planning with an eccentric group of bridesmaids, one of whom believes she should have been maid of honour instead. This hilarious 2011 film is perhaps one of the most iconic wedding movies to this day, showcasing the chaos of wedding planning through female-led comedy and it serves as a great reminder of friendship can be taken for granted in the lead up to a wedding.
Another classic. This 2002 comedy tells the story of Toula (Nia Vardalos), a Greek American woman who falls in love with a non-Greek man, despite her family’s insistence that she marry a Greek man. This film explores family dynamics, heritage and culture blending, and is perfect for any couples trying to navigate similar problems.
One thing you can always count on from J-Lo is a good rom-com, and this film is the perfect example of why. Released in 2001, Mary, a wedding planner, had pretty much given up on love for herself, until she met Steve, played by Matthew McConaughey. She believes she has finally found love, until she finds out that the man she has fallen for is the groom in the next wedding she is planning. While this movie does depict a beautiful and heartwarming story, it could also serve as more of a warning to brides to always keep one eye on your wedding planner.
Faced with the possibility of deportation, pushy book editor, Sandra Bullock, forces her assistant, Ryan Reynolds, to marry her in exchange for advancing his career. Romance lovers can guess what happens next; it’s an obvious enemies-to-lovers situation. And while this has no obvious relation to wedding planning and your big day, their crazy chemistry and feel-good romance will make you glad you watched it.
Best friends, Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway, have always dreamed of having their weddings at the Plaza Hotel in New York. But when their weddings accidentally get scheduled on the same day, neither of them is willing to give up their dream. They decide this means war and try to sabotage each other’s weddings. This movie serves as an example of exactly what you don’t want to happen in the lead up to your wedding and is a great reminder about the importance of friendship over everything.
In this timeless rom-com, Eddie Murphy plays Akeem, an African prince who is reluctant to accept an arranged marriage to a woman he has never seen or met. Instead of following tradition, Akeem travels to America in search of a wife who will love him despite his royal title. This is a touching story which demonstrates the importance of loving someone for who they are, blending this with comedy as Akeem gets accustomed to life in a foreign country without servants.
This 2002 rom-com stars Reese Witherspoon, Josh Lucas and Patrick Dempsey. The story revolves around Melanie, who finds herself engaged to New York’s most eligible bachelor. But before she can have her happily ever after, she must return home to Alabama to deal with her unresolved past, which includes Jake, the man she married in high school who refuses to divorce her. But maybe Melanie misses her old life more than she realises. The exploration of true love and second chance in this film will make you sad you didn’t watch it sooner. But grooms... before the wedding, you might just want to make sure that your bride doesn't have any secret husbands you don't know about!
Set on a picturesque Greek island, bride-to-be Sophie (Amanda Seyfried), secretly invites three men from her mother’s past, hoping to discover which one is her father. This jukebox musical combines family, romance and lively dance numbers, and will have you singing ABBA all day long. ‘Mamma Mia!’ is arguably one of the most iconic musicals ever made, so beloved that it even has its own West End musical, and we are certain that you will love it too!
This film follows Rachel Chu, who travels to Singapore with her boyfriend Nick for a wedding, only to discover that his family is among the richest in the nation. She is then thrust into a new world in which she is told she does not belong, full of status and familial expectations. If you have the money to splurge, this film is perfect for inspiration for an extravagant wedding, with its eye-catching scenery and its awe-inspiring outfits.
For the horror lovers out there, this one is for you. This film is very different from the rest on the list. There is nothing romantic or heartwarming about it. ‘Ready or Not’ is a dark comedy horror about a young bride whose wedding night with her wealthy in-laws turns into a deadly game of hide and seek. This film may make you reconsider the family that you're marrying into. Are they hiding anything from you?
At the end of the day, your wedding isn't going to be like those in the films. Your wedding will be just that...yours. The excessive planning, the money spent, and the stress of it all will come together to form a day that might not be perfect, but it will be uniquely yours. We’ve created this list to take away some of the pressure of wedding planning by encouraging you to relax and enjoy a movie that will make you (hopefully) excited for your big day.
And you know what else might help to take away some of the stress of wedding planning? Wedding insurance. Whether one of your vendors is a no-show, your wedding dress is damaged or there is an accident on the dance floor after a bit too much to drink; wedding insurance can step in and save the day. Secure financial protection and peace of mind and focus on celebrating your big day. See what Save the Date policies work for you!
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