I’m about to get married. Here’s what the movies have taught me about being a bride

19 hours ago 2

Ever since hearing the priest utter “mawage” in The Princess Bride, I’ve been a sucker for wedding movies – from gushy romcoms such as Mamma Mia! and The Proposal to wacky matrimonial adventures like Palm Springs and Corpse Bride.

But very soon, I’ll go from watching other brides to walking down the aisle myself. Since planning my own wedding, I can’t watch these movies the same way. Everything that was once funny – say, a soiled wedding dress or a sabotaging maid of honour – suddenly fills me with sheer horror. In contrast, the once-boring happy endings have me itching to, as Beyoncé would say, put a ring on it.

From Father of the Bride to Bridesmaids, wedding movies tell a very different story when you’re about to walk down the aisle yourself.

So, here are nine wedding films I’ve watched ahead of getting hitched, and what they’ve taught me about being a bride.

Father of the Bride (1991)

A remake of the 1950 classic, this Steve Martin caper has always been one of my favourites. But watching it as a bride-to-be is an entirely different (and emotional) kettle of fish.

Martin plays an overprotective father who learns his 22-year-old daughter got engaged during a semester abroad in Rome. While attempting to come to terms with “losing his little girl”, he subconsciously tries to sabotage the wedding, only to eventually realise he has to let her go.

I’m my father’s youngest daughter, so this hits home hard. As exciting as the big day is for the couple, it can be incredibly emotional for the parents, who probably still see you as an 11-year-old laughing along to The Princess Bride. I’ll be sure to hug my dad extra tight on my wedding day.

Muriel’s Wedding (1994)

This Aussie classic is the perfect cautionary tale for any bride-to-be.

Muriel (Toni Collette) is desperate to be “somebody” and believes a spectacular wedding will do just the trick. But when she eventually has her so-called perfect wedding with a South African swimmer in need of an Australian passport, she quickly realises a big bash wedding can’t truly change her life.

A great wedding does not a perfect life make. Muriel learned that the hard way.

I now know how easy it is to obsess over every tiny wedding detail, and to believe the smallest hitch means you’ve failed as a bride. But, ultimately, who cares if the cake is slightly lopsided, or one of your guests makes an embarrassing impromptu speech? A wedding doesn’t define your worth. Thanks for taking one for the team, Muriel.

My Best Friend’s Wedding (1997)

While I once loved watching Julia Roberts’ attempt to steal her best friend from his fiancée just days before his wedding, it has since become my nightmare.

Roberts plays a food critic who realises she still has feelings for her best friend/ex-partner when he announces his engagement to someone else. So, she proceeds to try to split the couple up in various sneaky, cruel ways.

Now, there won’t be any exes at my wedding, but I can’t help but wonder if I’ve ever wronged somebody on the guest list – someone who has been waiting for the perfect time to strike.

The one thing from this film that I’d accept with open arms, however, is the scene in which the family randomly bursts into I Say a Little Prayer at the dinner table. I’ll take any excuse to turn my life into a musical.

The Wedding Singer (1998)

Ah, the mullets. So many mullets.

Adam Sandler plays a wedding singer who is suddenly ditched by his fiancée, turning him into a cynical marriage-hater. That is, until he meets a wedding waitress (Drew Barrymore) who essentially teaches him to love again. The only hitch? She’s engaged to someone else.

Beyond the horrific hairstyles (thankfully my fiancé simply wouldn’t have time to grow a mullet even if he wanted to now), this film legitimately steered me away from hiring a singer on the off chance they’re having a rough day and decide to take it out on my guests.

This movie also makes it clear working in the wedding industry can be a tough and thankless gig, especially if you’re heartbroken and constantly surrounded by love. There will be nothing but respect for the staff at my wedding.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)

My family may not be Greek, but they are loud. So, watching this film offers a glimpse into how my fiancé may be feeling knowing he’s entering into this crazy crew. Power to him.

Jokes aside, this movie is a beautiful snapshot of two families and cultures coming together through marriage despite their differences. I grew up watching it for the hilarious interactions between the Greek aunties, but now I watch it as a reminder that a wedding doesn’t only unite the bride and groom, but also the families themselves.

It’s also the reason we’ve added lamb to our menu.

27 Dresses (2008)

I’ve probably seen this movie as many times as Katherine Heigl’s character has been a bridesmaid.

Jane is a chronic people-pleaser who has been a bridesmaid 27 times – the classic “always a bridesmaid, never a bride”. She becomes the subject of columnist Kevin’s next story once he finds out she’s kept all 27 of her horrendously ugly bridesmaids dresses.

The pair eventually fall in love, of course, but my only takeaway was to allow my bridesmaids to have a say in their dresses, and to keep far, far away from tulle.

Bridesmaids (2011)

Never eat weird meat before trying on a wedding dress. Lesson learnt.

A down-and-out baker becomes her best friend’s maid of honour, but quickly falls into bitter competition with another one of the bridesmaids, wealthy overachiever Helen.

This Paul Feig comedy has always had me in stitches. Thankfully, it still does because there’s zero competition between my bridesmaids – they’re all my sisters, so it’s essentially law that I love them equally. However, it did remind me to remain true to myself instead of getting swept up in the glitz and glam of wedding planning – I don’t need puppies as bridal shower party favours, regardless of how adorable that would be.

Crazy Rich Asians (2018)

When you’re getting married, people will have opinions. There’s no way around it.

Rachel learns this the hard way when she’s whisked off to Singapore for her boyfriend’s best friend’s wedding. There, they get engaged, which triggers a cascade of gossip and criticism from friends and family.

The lavish wedding scenes and insane private island hen do used to capture my attention, but now as a bride-to-be, I focus instead on Rachel’s incredible resilience in the face of humiliation and rejection. She zones out the chatter and focuses on the one opinion that truly matters: her partner’s. Now, that’s love.

Ready or Not (2019)

Be careful what family you marry into.

Orphaned Grace just married the heir to a board game dynasty. To celebrate, the family introduces her to a tradition in which they must play a randomly selected game at midnight. But when Grace pulls the “hide and seek” card, she realises she has become the target of a very real murderous hunt.

The family I’m marrying into doesn’t own a board game dynasty, a creepy mansion, or a litany of archaic weaponry, so I’m feeling pretty safe. But I guess I’ll still avoid any strange games on the wedding night.

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