Our Favorite Wedding Movies – Knox County VillageSoup

The Wedding Singer, 1998, PG-13. Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore

By Dan Dunkle, Editor-in-Chief

If you’re looking for a romantic comedy, even if you don’t yet know your date’s tastes, this is probably a safe bet. It’s an Adam Sandler movie, but it’s also a Drew Barrymore movie. Both actors were at the height of their careers.

In 1985, popular wedding singer Robbie (Sandler) is left at the altar because his girlfriend wants him to be more ambitious.

I think we all had that bad breakup, and Sandler pulls no punches to show the pain Robbie is going through. This is made doubly difficult since her job is to sing for people who have found eternal love (or think they have!). He meets Julia (Barrymore) and sparks fly, but of course she’s about to marry a stockbroker.

There’s a lot of fun little things in this movie, like Alexis Arquette as a Boy George-influenced band member, Christine Taylor of Dodgeball and Arrested Development playing a friend, Steve Buscemi as a drunk parent, and Ellen’s rapping Albertini Dow. I could go on and on, but you probably already know all of this.

My Big Greek Wedding, 2002, PG. Nia Vardalos and John Corbett

By Dan Dunkle, Editor-in-Chief

It’s just a funny movie and you can watch it with anyone, even your parents.

Nia Vardalos plays a young woman who ages before working at her father’s Greek restaurant. Love seems long, in part because she’s constantly smothered by her adorable but overbearing family.

Along comes John Corbett, whom I still consider the DJ of “Northern Exposure”, and saves her. Vardalos and Corbett are so incredibly friendly that you can’t help but cheer them on. When the bride’s eccentric father offers his medical advice to the soon-to-be son-in-law, I totally lost him. Worth the price of admission right there.

Corpse Bride, 2005, PG. Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter

By Christine Simmonds, Associate Editor

Corpse Bride is a dark stop-motion musical from Tim Burton, à la “Nightmare Before Christmas”.

This is Victorian England. Victor and Victoria are about to get married in an arranged marriage for financial reasons. When the two meet, it seems like they get along pretty well. Maybe they could even love each other, not that IT matters for a marriage, their parents point out.

Victor (Depp) can do no good, ending up setting fire to his future mother-in-law. He is banned and told to repeat! While training, Victor accidentally marries deceased daughter Emily (Bonham Carter). Typical.

There are some scary scenes that might be too much for young children. It’s not PG-13, but parents might want to rewatch this movie first for a scare factor.

This movie is cute and fun and funny. If you liked “Nightmare Before Christmas”, this wedding movie is for you!

Father of the Bride, 1991, PG. Steve Martin, Diane Keaton and Martin Short

By Christine Simmonds, Associate Editor

This film was my introduction to Steve Martin. I watched this comedy countless times as a kid.

The film follows George and Nina Banks (Martin and Keaton) as they plan the wedding of their daughter Annie.

While Nina is very supportive of Annie’s upcoming nuptials, George isn’t ready to let his baby girl grow up, and he’s certainly not ready to shell out all that money for the big day.

Lots of fantastic comedy moments with Steve Martin, of course, including an encounter with Dobermans and a meltdown in a supermarket. Keaton does a great job playing the straight man. Clearly, Martin Short steals every scene he finds himself in as a wedding planner.

This film does a great job of poking fun at all the worst parts of planning a wedding and celebrating the joys of the day as well. I enjoyed it just as much so many years later and was thrilled to spot Eugene Levy as the wedding singer!

“Father of the Bride” is a fun wedding movie the whole family can enjoy.

Twilight, Breaking Dawn: Part One, 2011, PG-13. Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson

By Emma Testerman, columnist

In case you’ve been living under a rock for 10 years, “The Twilight Saga” is a series of films about a moody, boring Arizona girl named Bella Swan (Stewart) who falls in love with sparkling vampire Edward Cullen (Pattinson ).

This third film in the franchise begins with the wedding of Bella and Edward. The rest of the film is the couple’s honeymoon and the aftermath.

They have this pretty nice ceremony. As fun as it is to hate the book series and movies, this scene was a breath of fresh air. Beautiful forest scenery and her dress is stunning – the costume department didn’t skimp on the button and lace details.

My favorite part of this scene is the wedding jitters of Bella and her dad sharing a short but special moment before they walk down the aisle. I thought it was a wonderful scene to have a little dialogue between them.

Obviously, it’s less of a wedding movie than the other movies, but it was a fun addition to our list.

The Princess Bride, 1987, PG. Cary Elwes, Robin Wright, Mandy Patinkin and Andre the Giant

By Holly Vanorse Spicer, Editorial Assistant

As a kid in the 80s, I remember my parents renting this movie from Oakside Video in South Thomaston. My older sister and I sat glued to the screen in our living room watching it.

This cult classic features easily memorable and quotable lines, a fusion of genres, and a lovely star-studded cast.

There’s more common to the princess trope, with Buttercup (Wright) getting engaged to Prince Humperdinck (Chris Sarandon). Lost love ties into the damsel in distress trope, as Westley (Elwes) comes to save his true love, Buttercup.

Revenge, with Inigo Montoya (Patinkin) on the hunt for the six-fingered man who killed his father.

And of course the famous wedding scene: “Mawwiage is what brings us together today”.

Action, drama, comedy, suspense – will Humperdinck bring Buttercup back to the throne to carry out his plan?

Sure, it’s a bit silly, even cheesy, but it’s ageless fun for everyone.

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