Lights, camera, action … "I do!"
Officiant: "I, Ross…"
Ross: "I, Ross…"
Officiant: "Take thee Emily…"
Ross: "Take thee Rachel…"
(gasps)
Ross: "Emily! Emily."
Officiant: "Shall I go on?"
And then black. It was my very favorite "Friends" season cliffhanger (watch it here), the one that made me scream so loud I scared my parents. But it was also one of the best television wedding shockers that Hollywood has produced.
There are countless movies and television episodes centering on weddings. No two are exactly alike, but a few of them, like this one, are extra special. Here are some of my other favorites:
"My Best Friend's Wedding"
When Julianne (Julia Roberts) tells Michael (Dermot Mulroney) and Kimmy (Cameron Diaz) that she didn't buy them a wedding gift and until they find their own song, this one was on loan. And then the twins start singing "The Way You Look Tonight."
"Father of the Bride"
I tear up when George (Steve Martin) runs through the house to try to say goodbye to his daughter Annie (Kimberly Williams) before she leaves for the honeymoon, and he gets blocked at every corner. But later, she calls from the airport saying she just can't leave without saying goodbye.
"Steel Magnolias"
Okay, so it's not a wedding movie, but the beginning is consumed with Shelby's (Julia Roberts again) wedding and I just love that her colors are "blush and bashful" NOT pink and pink as her mother (Sally Field) describes. But the best part is the grooms cake -- red velvet with gray frosting, shaped and decorated to look like an armadillo. When Ouiser (Shirley MacLaine) cuts off the tail for Drum (Tom Skerritt), it looks like it's bleeding. Take a look. (I really do love YouTube!)
"Old School"
Also not a wedding movie, but this is my fiance's contribution to the list. There's a part when Frank the Tank (Will Ferrell) is watching his bride walk down the aisle and Pete (Vince Vaughn) whispers "You need to get out Frankie. … You need to get out of here while you're still single." Then he leans down to the father of the bride and says "It takes a man to give away an angel" and winks at him.
But my favorite part is during the reception when the wedding singer drops f-bombs while singing "Total Eclipse of the Heart." Priceless.
"Will & Grace"
When Will (Eric McCormack) walks Grace (Debra Messing) down the aisle during her wedding to Leo and at the very end, whispers, "This might be a bad time to tell you, but I'm straight." Grace of course laughs, but the way he says it is so serious that I couldn't help hoping that he might not be joking and that the two of them would end up together after all.
Please, tell us your favorites!
Comments
Stephanie - I LOVE FRIENDS! And that is such a great episode. Although the engagement episode with Monica and Chandler made me cry!!!
Posted by: Lisa | June 14, 2007 09:47 AM
All wedding movies make me cry as do the real ones. My son got married in April and though I love his new wife I blinked back tears. Weddings are suppose to make you cry. When I got married my mom cried even though she was happy. That was 34 years ago. Now I understand the tears.
Posted by: Donna | June 17, 2007 03:44 AM