Top 10 Wedding Movies

by Shaheema Barodien and Samantha Brighton Email · Print

Here comes the bride… and in movie land it’s never a smooth journey down the aisle. See if your favourite wedding movie made our grade.

What's your favourite wedding movie?

10. Monsoon Wedding (2002)

This sumptuous celebration of family, tradition and falling in love goes down like a mug of steaming chai tea. The multi-layered story centres on a Delhi family as they organise an elaborate ceremony for the arranged marriage of Adita to a US-based businessman she's known for just a few weeks. But Adita's been having an affair with her married ex-boss, her wedding planner is falling for the maid, her sister wants to defy her family's traditional views and become a writer in the States, and just about everyone has a life-affirming moment in this heart-warming and joyous little movie. Made outside of the predictable Bollywood system, director Mira Nair dares to explore darker themes, while the colourful symphony that unfolds onscreen offers plenty inspiration to the bride who'd rather not wear white on her special day.

9. Wedding Crashers (2005)

The premise is simple, but oh-so genius in its way: two best friends, John (Owen Wilson) and Jeremy (Vince Vaughn) are fratboy divorce lawyers who crash weddings to meet single women who, due to the romantic nature of the occasion and the flowing champagne, are ripe for the picking. It's a hobby that has served them well. When they set their sights on the wealthy but wacky Cleary family, hilarity and bullet-ridden buttocks ensue. Dirtier than your average wedding flick, Wedding Crashers is definitely for the boys, although, like its two horny heroes, no cynical heart will be immune to true love.

- Read the Wedding Crashers review

8. My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)

Weddings are never really yours. There are mothers, aunts, uncles, sisters and second cousins twice removed who always end up having a say. This very traditional tale hammers home the sentiment that it’s not about the flowers, dress, religion or family – it’s about being with the one you love. Toula (Nia Vardalous) overcomes a controlling, orthodox father, busy-body aunts, wedding day zits and her own identity crisis to end up with a dreamy man who’s willing to do anything for her. It’s endearing because Toula isn’t skinny, beautiful or particularly brilliant. She’s got nothing you or I don’t have. But she still gets her man. Gimme some-a-that real-life charm!

7. Wedding Singer (1998)

The title tells you we’re going back to 1985 – who hires wedding singers anymore? Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore discover CD players, Billy Idol and each other in this neon-coloured comedy about a wedding singer who’s left at the altar, only to later meet the girl of his love songs - but she’s already engaged. While the 80s backdrop makes this a good cackle-and-cringe flick, the songs are unforgettable. From Sandler’s hilarious “Somebody Kill Me Please” and the knee-buckling “I Wanna Grow Old With You” to George’s (Alexis Arquette) incessant question: “Do You Really Want To Hurt Me?” - it’s all stuck in your brain and you’ll be hitting the rewind button before the credits roll.

6. Father of the Bride (1991)

More true to life than other wedding movies, here we experience a father’s anxiety and terror as his only baby girl gets married. No one ever thinks about what the dad is going through! Steve Martin was a household name back in the 90s and his neurotic yet genuine portrayal of George Banks makes this movie rerun-worthy. Martin Short turns Franck (Fraanck, not Frank) the wedding planner into an unforgettable character and I’m sure many American brides wore sneakers in 1991 thanks to this charming chick flick.

>>> Part 2: What's in the Top 5?