One of the most delightful movies about weddings is the 1991 hit Father of the Bride starring Steve Martin, Diane Keaton, and Martin Short in the unforgettable role of Franck the wedding planner. It was actually a remake of a classic Spencer Tracey comedy, but I found the more recent version to be even funnier than the original. The movie tells the tale of a loving dad who nearly loses his mind during the planning of his daughter’s wedding.
There are many parts of Father of the Bride that real-life dads will relate to. The wave of nostalgia that hits Steve Martin when he realizes that his little girl is all grown up is very touching, and is a sentiment shared by many fathers of the bride. Most dads will also relate to the sticker shock experienced by Martin’s character, George Banks.
The sweetness of the father-daughter relationship is balanced by the hilarity of the actual wedding planning process. Franck the wedding planner is definitely the funniest and most memorable part of the movie. From his insistence on swans, the scene over the navy blue tuxedo, and all of the other costly “must-haves” that he arranges, he is an absolute gem.
One of the best known scenes in Father of the Bride is when Annie’s fiance gives her a blender. He thinks that it is a thoughtful gift (Annie likes milkshakes); she thinks that it is a symbol of his intention to turn her into a 1950s housewife after the wedding. Naturally, Annie’s father steps in and smooths things over. The blender fiasco is a perfect example of how people can go a little crazy during the stress of planning a wedding!
Annie’s bridal ensemble was very traditional. She wore a long sleeved gown with a lace illusion neckline. It was an elegant and lovely dress, which she completed with a full veil and blusher. With such a high neckline, the bride did not wear a necklace, but she did choose pearl bridal jewelry for earrings. Annie’s pearl bridal jewelry was dangle earrings, which are a nice choice when there is no necklace being worn. She completed the look with a pair of sneakers from her father’s sneaker company hidden under her full skirt.
Father of the Bride shows why it is not less expensive to have your wedding at home. Between the renovations, the gardening, and the fancy birds, it would have been more affordable to have the wedding in a club. This is often the case with weddings at home, because not only will you have all of the costs associated with renting everything from forks to a tent, but you will surely see a hundred ways that your home must be spruced up to look perfect for your wedding.
Anyone planning a wedding should take the time to sit down and watch Father of the Bride. It is an adorable, lighthearted movie that will provide a relaxing break during the hectic days of planning your own wedding. And in case you are wondering what happens after the wedding, rent Father of the Bride II (I’ll give you one hint: babies!).
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