The 50 Best Wedding Movies—for Better or for Worse

Melanie (Reese Witherspoon) is on the cusp of having everything she has always wanted. She is a rising fashion designer in New York who just got engaged to the city’s most-wanted bachelor, Andrew (Patrick Dempsey). There’s just one little problem: she’s already married. In order to marry the man of her dreams, Melanie must first confront her past in Alabama, where her childhood sweetheart, Jake (Josh Lucas), steadfastly refuses to sign the divorce papers.

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The entire narrative of Jane Austen's 19th-century tale pivots around marriage: snagging a suitor, scoring a proposal, and finally saying "I do." Luckily, we get a pair of lavish Regency-era celebrations in Autumn de Wilde's lovely adaptation of the classic same-name novel: one belonging to Miss Taylor, the other to our leading lady, Emma, a meddling matchmaker who wants to couple up all her friends.

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After a meet-cute in a coffee shop, Bea (Sydney Sweeney) and Ben (Glen Powell) share one passionate night of unbelievable romantic chemistry. But a miscommunication the next morning abruptly ends their new connection, and the two vow to never cross paths again … that is, until Bea’s sister and Ben’s family friend announce that they’re engaged. Now, these former-lovers-turned-enemies must play nice for one weekend as they jet off to Australia for the destination wedding.

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The cinema-tested, audience-approved time loop shtick that worked beautifully for films like Groundhog Day, Happy Death Day, and Edge of Tomorrow gets the wedding treatment with the hilarious Palm Springs. A nihilistic comedy that flirts with the science fiction and horror genres, this Hulu gem stars SNL's Andy Samberg and How I Met Your Mother's Cristin Milioti as a pair of wedding guests who find themselves living the same day over and over again and—as all romantic comedies require—falling in love.

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No stranger to the arranged marriage, African Prince Akeem treks to Queens, New York, in search of a wife he actually wants to put a ring on. Co-written by its star, Eddie Murphy, Coming to America is an '80s classic most of the world has seen by now, but on the off chance you, dear reader, have yet to hit play on this must-see, then we'll just say that the pretty pink wedding dress featured in the film's climax isn't the only surprise. Plus, there's even more royal revelry to be had in the recently released sequel.

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We're not sure it gets more big-city extravagant than a Vivienne Westwood wedding gown fit for a bride (Sarah Jessica Parker) who's getting hitched at New York City's iconic Public Library. Factor in her bridesmaids (Cynthia Nixon, Kristin Davis, Kim Cattrall) each rocking their own bold-toned Zac Posen design, a groom wrestling with cold feet, the fateful death of a floral bouquet, and a bird on the bride's head (paired with a cathedral-length veil), and you have one of the most iconic and heartbreaking wedding scenes to ever grace the big screen.

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Though it's not the titular character here whose wedding is in the works, it is, however, that of a man who is in love with her. Let us explain. Starring Old Hollywood's It-starlet Audrey Hepburn (in a marvelous organza Givenchy gown), Billy Wilder's 1954 classic tells the story of a love triangle occupied by Hepburn’s Sabrina and the wealthy brothers Linus (Humphrey Bogart) and David (William Holden). It's younger brother David, a forever bachelor, who is on the verge of tying the knot—until, of course, he meets the new Sabrina. Sometimes the climax isn't so much "I do" as it is "I choose you."

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The all-Asian cast, led by Constance Wu and Henry Golding, in Jon M. Chu's film adaptation of Kevin Kwan's same-name global bestseller was a beautiful thing to see when it premiered. And so was the star-studded, dripping-in-opulence Singaporean wedding come to life—from the aisle made of flowing water and the gorgeous wedding procession rendition of Can't Help Falling in Love by Kina Grannis to the otherwordly wedding dress. It's also worth pointing out that this film, punctuated with a wedding scene, actually ends with a proposal—promising yet another crazy rich wedding in the second part of the three-film series. While we wait for China Rich Girlfriend, this film is still worth watching on repeat.

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Fans of the HBO series Looking were gutted when the series got the ax. But fortunately, co-creator Andrew Haigh (director of the stellar Weekend) had their backs, as he got to work on giving his characters the nuanced send-off they deserve. His film follows its main trio of San Francisco gay men (Jonathan Groff, Frankie J. Alvarez, and Murray Bartlett), along with their friends, as they gather for a wedding. Loose ends are tied, romantic connections are made, and "I dos" are finally said.

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Ali’s Wedding is a thoughtful autobiographical jewel that pulls from its star-slash-screenwriter's own experiences. The film begins with a tuxedoed groom (Osamah Sami), riding a tractor, then crashing into a cop car. But the slapstick, for the most part, ends there. This little indie film is full of wonderful surprises: a sincere, yet humorous, deep dive into the upbringing of Ali, an Iraqi immigrant living in a Melbourne Muslim community; the arranged marriage he agrees to; and the actual love of his life, an Australian-born Lebanese lovely.

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A throwback romantic comedy, The Wedding Planner plays by all the rules and tropes of the genre before its recent evolution, but that didn't stop it from launching a solid rom-com era for each of its leads, Matthew McConaughey and Jennifer Lopez. Here, in Adam Shankman's 2001 film, Lopez plays Mary Fiore, a wedding planner who falls in love with someone else's groom, played by McConaughey.

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Strategically released around the date of Elizabeth Taylor's real-life wedding to Conrad Hilton Jr., the 1950 version of Father of the Bride—a romantic comedy dedicated to the titular patriarch pegged with the nagging irritations the big day requires—was a massive critical success starring Taylor and Spencer Tracy. And the same can be said of the 1991 Nancy Meyers remake (pictured here) starring Steve Martin and Kimberly Williams-Paisley. Honestly, it's a toss-up regarding which one we recommend you watch first.

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Julia Roberts plays Julianne, a feisty, big-haired food critic, in love with her longtime best friend, Michael (Dermot Mulroney). Meanwhile, he's a local news sportswriter engaged to Kimmy (Cameron Diaz), a filthy-rich daddy's girl sweeter than the buttercream on the couple's multi-tier wedding cake. Hell-bent on sabotaging their nuptials, Jules lies, deceives, and gets downright Machiavellian in her schemes, resulting in an amusing and charming rom-com that manages to reinvent the genre's requisite happy ending.

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The dress has been chosen, the menu set, and the guest list decided—there's just one problem: Michal no longer has a groom. Blindsided by her fiancé a month before their big day, Michal gets a bit of news no bride wants to hear: her man doesn’t love her. Awful, yes, but this is a comedy after all—and writer-director Rama Burshtein's Hebrew film is brimming with reasons to laugh. Namely, Michal is certain that God will manifest her a new fiancé just in time for her wedding day. No postponements here!

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We know, Love Actually is actually an essential holiday classic. But it's also an essential holiday classic that begins with one of the best wedding scenes to ever have been spooled into a reel can. You have Chiwetel Ejiofor's Peter and Andrew Lincoln's Mark bantering over prostitutes and making a no-surprises promise at the altar as groom and best man, before turning around to Keira Knightley’s Juliet proceeding down the aisle in a supremely British wedding gown. Of course, there's a surprise. And, of course, you're responsible for reminding yourself of what that is with another viewing.

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Usually, nuptial-centered films spend their reels building up to the big day. Here, it's the opposite. Near the beginning of this film, interracial couple Richard and Mildred Loving (Joel Edgerton and Ruth Negga) marry in a sincere, understated justice-of-the-peace-officiated ceremony in Washington, D.C. They then head home to Caroline County, Virginia, and the battle for their love begins. Finding themselves in the crosshairs of 1960s anti-miscegenation laws, the Lovings must fight jail time, court cases, and even sickening racism to stay together.

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A film for every season, holiday, or special occasion, the 1989 classic from director Herbert Ross covers every base from saying "I do" to hunting for Easter eggs. About the goings-on in a small Louisiana town, its yarn is spun through the gossiping friend group who chinwag at a local beauty parlor. Embodied by a crew of prized powerhouse actresses, including Sally Field, Julia Roberts, Dolly Parton, Olympia Dukakis, and Shirley MacLaine as a wickedly glorious curmudgeon, their first order of business is getting Shelby (Roberts) ready for her big day.

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Dearly beloved, the cast members in this contemporary "mumblegore" thriller were gathered here today to run for their mother-loving lives. Samara Weaving, the rising star in Ryan Murphy's Hollywood, stuns as Grace, a bride who marries her dream man and then spends her wedding night trying to survive her in-laws. Literally. It's the result of a savage tradition: The newest member of the family's gaming dynasty draws a card, and the fam then plays the game on the card. Simple as that.

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Set in New Delhi and featuring an exclusively Indian cast, Mira Nair's Monsoon Wedding is a vivid family reunion bursting with joyous pomp and culture, popping off the screen with its palette of primary reds, bold oranges, and rich shades of marigold. Also a comedy of upper-middle-class manners akin to Indian tradition, the fast-paced film whips around a bungled arranged marriage and the clumsily organized four-day wedding everyone has gathered from all over the globe for, all while injecting joyous moments of Bollywood-esque singing and dancing. Put succinctly, it's simply glorious.

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In the annals of unforgettable film endings, nestled somewhere between Humphrey Bogart's "beautiful friendship" in Casablanca and the New Year's Eve love rant in When Harry Met Sally, there's Dustin Hoffman crashing his ex-girlfriend's wedding in Mike Nichols' '60s-era seduction comedy. A pleasurable, albeit awkward, watch, The Graduate follows the sexual prowess of Ben (Hoffman), a recent college grad who's getting schooled between the sheets by his ex-girlfriend's mother, Mrs. Robinson. How he comes to realize his need for a wedding objection? Well, just hit the below "watch" button to find out.

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