Bride Wars (2009) is a rom-com movie starring Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson, and you could even remember a younger and fluffier Star-Lord (Chris Pratt) from that film. While the reviews are mixed, there is no doubt that this film brought a hilarious, heart-warming, and even tear-jerking movie about love, friendship, and of course, weddings!
If you have watched this movie, then you would know its plot already. However, if you hadn’t, just imagine, you and your best friend getting engaged almost at the same time. Your grooms-to-be are good friends too, your jobs are stable, and you both just booked your dream wedding reception. A place where your younger self thought magic was made through weddings. Sounds heavily right? Well, it should be, and for the two characters played by Anne and Kate, it was until it wasn’t.
From planning your weddings, setting the date, choosing your wedding gown or dress, shopping for rings, and well, making up with your best friend. Here are the important life lessons the movie Bride Wars has taught us:
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Choose a reliable wedding planner.
The first problem that set the movie plot happened when both of the character’s (who were each other’s maid of honor) weddings were booked on the same date and at the same place. They visited the famous wedding planner Marion St. Claire and got two separate dates in June (they both wanted to be June brides too) for their weddings. However, due to a mediocre and human error committed by St. Claire’s secretary, they both got the same date instead.
Clearly, the rather small mistake was sensationalized for the movie, but the point is, you need to find a reliable wedding planner that would take care of everything like it is their own wedding. You cannot afford small mistakes with figures and dates, not on your big day!
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Involve your bridesmaids in decision-making.
What happened next was the both of them turned against each other, after refusing to move their wedding dates (if someone only chose a different venue instead). Anyways, Anne’s character boldly claimed the date and sent out pre-invites to every one of their friends without Kate knowing. This then moves the plot and solidifies the rift between the two best friends.
In retrospect, they were still each other’s maid of honor and are life-long best friends. However, because of a temporary spur of the moment, Anne chose to decide alone. What you could learn from this is that, as a bride, you have friends and families whose opinions matter too. Especially with dates, venues, receptions, you have to consider where they would be comfortable with, and from there, you could find a solution to address the issues with.
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Go for the gown that has the loudest call.
The movie was most famous for the quote, “You don’t alter a Vera to fit you, you alter yourself to fit Vera.” and this movie scene was when our two characters were choosing their respective gowns. Kate’s character was having a hard time choosing one until Anne chose a Vera Wang gown that she thought would be perfect for her friend (because she cannot choose it herself as she would be wearing her mother’s).
Kate then, later on (with Anne’s blessings), went with the Vera pick. Afterward, the clerk reminded her about pre-wedding weight gain, to which Kate responded that you do not alter a Vera but instead get back into shape.
During the climax of the movie, Anne was upset, and she snapped about seeing the Vera Wang gown first. Kate then bluntly told her the truth, saying that Anne has a weak personality trait to stand up for her own preferences and ended up wearing a dress to please her mother.
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Do a cold relationship check.
So, with all that was happening in the movie, one character was too focused on getting the perfect wedding that she lost sight of her relationship.
In life, there are things that we have always wanted, and when we get there, we realize it is not with the same person anymore. Sometimes, we realize that things have changed and it wasn’t what we want anymore, and that is fine. What is not okay is losing sight of what truly matters. So, before you get married, take a good look at your life, your fiancee, and your values together as a couple. Don’t forget that.
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Learn to compromise and adjust.
As aforementioned, if only one of them chose to adjust their venue, they wouldn’t get to the point of hitting each other below the belt, perhaps there wouldn’t even be a movie. However, looking at the bright side, the movie proved that if you want to start over, you need to hit rock bottom first.
See, after the whole charade and the competitive wedding race, they both made up, and their lives even got better.
The movie has mixed reviews, but there is no denying that both Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway did a terrific job in making the audience laugh and even cry. If you are looking for an entertaining movie that doesn’t need too much energy to grasp, Bride Wars won’t disappoint.
