INTRO:

Whether or not we realize it, our images or fantasies of romantic love are heavily influenced by media; especially the movies we watched growing up. Maybe your first mental picture of a beautiful bride was Buttercup with her towering tiara in “The Princess Bride” or perhaps you loved the rustic charm of the autumn forest wedding at the close of “Robin Hood Prince of Thieves.” These enduring romances stick with us and can become beautiful inspiration for a wedding that’s not only meaningful, but cinematically epic. Here are 11 Cinematic Love Stories to inspire your own timeless union!

#1: The Princess Bride

“Mawaige!…Mawaige is what brings us to getha today…” Not sorry. 😉 You can’t talk about this absolute classic without quoting this guy. A true ensemble piece, “The Priincess Bride” brought together the unparalleled combination of Carey Elwes, Robin Wright, Mandy Patinkin, Wallace Shawn, Billy Crystal, and Andre the giant, among others! For many of us millennials–and any Gen Zers who were raised right–this film was one of the original epic romances in our lives. Because, as Grandpa tells us at the beginning, it has everything, “Fencing, fighting, monsters, escapes, true love! Miracles!” It’s the true love that makes this movie truly great wedding inspiration; a love that braves pirates, poison, murderous princes, Cecelian assassins and even death. You can go as little as you like with an “As You Wish” sign or as big as Fezzik. Imagine honoring Buttercup and Westley’s journey with a storybook backdrop or centerpieces, burning fire swamp cocktails, a “Pick Your Poison” placard at the bar, and a castle cake creation. For guest experience, consider having a live fencing performance. And if there’s a four-legged member of your family, let them be the ring bearer with a sign around their neck reading “Rodent of Unusual Size.” The smaller the dog, the better. 😉  Don’t forget to exit on white horses and kiss against the sunset. Storybook ending.

#2: Casablanca

Imagine strolling up the aisle in a 1940s-inspired satin gown and having your husband, overcome by your beauty, say, “Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine.” If you or your spouse-to-be are fans of classic films, then a Casablanca themed wedding would be timelessly elegant. This film won an Oscar for “Best Picture” largely because underneath all the wartime espionage it’s a tender and tragic love story with mesmerizing atmosphere. Channel Ingrid Bergman in a wedding gown that is both structural and ethereal, your curls soft and pulled away from the face. For the groom, go full Humphrey Bogart in a white tuxedo or white-on-white suit with a black tie and pocket square. This theme is swoonily refined as you arrive in a vintage Cadillac or Oldsmobile to your venue decked out Rick’s Café Américain-style with tiny brass prop planes on each table. Have a pre-wedding cocktail hour–these are getting more popular and fit this theme perfectly–with custom cognac cocktails. And, this is absolutely vital, have a live piano player for the entire event from cocktails to the champagne toast last call. Build up to a bigger party vibe by adding a full live band to your ivory-tickling Sam so they can croon “As Time Goes By” during your first dance. A theme sure to have your husband also saying, before your depart in your classic car, “Here’s lookin’ at you, kid.”

#3: Pride and Prejudice

Speaking of TIMELESS, there is no wedding theme more timeless than Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice.” Jane Austen wrote six masterpieces but “Pride and Prejudice” is her most well known romance and regularly ranks in the “10 Greatest Books of All Time.” And why not? Mr. Darcy–who is universally considered the #1 Leading Man–gives us the best romantic arc: transforming from a haughty man disdaining his own love for Elizabeth to a humbled hero who will do anything for her while believing he’ll never deserve her. It’s a redemptive love that we’ve never quite recovered from and the 2005 film adaptation with Keira Knightley and Matthew MacFadyen has been forever burned into our fantasies. Just picture announcement photos taken on a misty moor at dawn–your groom striding toward you in a billowy white shirt (don’t even get us started on those!) and your foreheads pressed together as the sun creates a heart halo between you. We get jealous just thinking about that! Move onto a moody reception with traditional Regency dancing–you can even bring in an instructor to get you and all your guests dancing together–to live string musicians with candles burning everywhere. Calligraphy invitations and place settings, old books in tablescapes, and your love story written all around the outside of the cake in a flowing hand. It is a truth universally acknowledged that this wedding would be a fantasy come to life in which you would further bewitch your groom “body and soul.”

#4: The Phantom of the Opera

We were the only ones fascinated by “The Phantom of the Opera” growing up? Maybe it’s a Millenial thing but the 2004 film adaptation starring Emmy Rossum, Patrick Wilson, and Gerard Butler only deepened our obsession with the story of musical possession and dark passions. Take a Parisian wedding theme a step further by amping up the gilded, gold decor and deep, crimson velvet fabrics draped from the ceiling to set a scene like the Palais Garnier opera house. A chandelier is a must. But if you can’t hang a big one from the ceiling, instead place it on a table in the center of the room where it’s still a focal point. Or for extra atmosphere, gather a mix of smaller chandeliers (thrifting will really help with this), paint them all a matching shade of gold, and place one in the center of each guest table. If the main stage of the opera isn’t your vibe, travel down into the Phantom’s abode by confining your lighting strictly to light flickering from countless candles and candelabras. You can even apply a top coat of crackle paint to give each chandelier or candelabra that aged, antique look. Wrap invitations or place settings in a simple black ribbon or amp up to elegant black painted skulls as vases for blood-red roses. No bridal gown could be more hauntingly lovely than a corseted, cascading skirt creation straight from Christine Daae’s closet. And playing instrumental versions of “Music of the Night” and “All I Ask of You” would be the final touch.

#5: Somewhere in Time

This underrated film, though tragic, is SO. RO. MANTIC. It inspired many a young girl to want to visit Mackinac Island’s Grand Hotel and showed the quiet, romantic side of Superman Christopher Reeves. It tells the story of a man who travels back in time to find a woman who’s photograph he’s fallen in love with. Not only does it have some of the most gorgeous and moving orchestration ever written–unique ceremony music, anyone?!–the majority of the story takes place in the dreamy Edwardian era. Steal the look with voluminous updos, long satin gloves, gauzy beaded gowns, and dapper suits to transport yourself back to that time. Say your vows inside a flowered gazebo or on a seaside hotel veranda. Even if your venue is nowhere near a hotel, you can capture some hotel charm by having your wedding guests “check in” at a front desk with a bell and everything (just know that any guests in the kid category will abuse it). There they can sign an original guest registry memory book and maybe even have their photo taken against an Edwardian backdrop. Use vintage hotel keys in your decor and be sure the groom and his groomsmen have era-appropriate pocket watches. Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour’s Richard and Elise are doomed by the pull of time. But the conclusion of the film (SPOILErS!) shows that they’ve reunited outside of time, making their love literally timeless, as yours can be.    

#6: Robin Hood Prince of Thieves

The story of Robin Hood, the heroic arrow-shooting vigilante has been universally adored and adapted in TV and film many times over. But there’s just something about the 1991 iteration “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. It’s not just the star-studded cast that boasts Kevin Costner, Broadway sensation Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Christian Slater, Morgan Freeman, and Alan Rickman, to name just a few! It’s the gorgeous score, the single “Everything I Do” by the raspy- voiced Bryan Adams, the catapult-arrival rescue of Maid Marian by the fearless Robin. And let’s not forget Alan Rickman’s Sheriff of Nottingham; arguably one of the most brilliant love-to-hate-him villains in film history. And (Spoilers!) that wedding at the end of the film! Robin and Marian surrounded by a canopy of towering trees, standing before a branch-woven altar laden with blossoms and grapes as leafy confetti rains down on the procession. Marian wears a crown of wildflowers, fruit, and straw (girl was doing boho chic before it was cool), their wedding party creates an arc of curved branches over their heads, and they share their first kiss as guests cheer and white doves erupt into the sky. Who doesn’t want to recreate that autumnal tableau of absolute gorgeousness?! Of course the late and great Sean Connery can’t give you away, while dressed in full armor as King Richard. But other than that, it could be pretty perfect.

#7: The Great Gatsby

Want your wedding to be a blast-the-roof-off party? Do a “Great Gatsby” themed wedding! The Gatsby parties are epic in the extreme; a dizzying parade of feather dancers, trapeze artists, gangsters and gorgeous gals dripping with diamonds all crowded together on a packed dance floor. Giant bubbles cascade from the ceiling as silver-white balloons–a companion to the literal champagne fountain. Not to mention the “dubious descendant of Beethoven” pounding out a mad melody on an upraised organ. If it seems EXTRA, it belongs in a Gatsby wedding. This wedding party would be an unforgettable guest experience with themed poker tables and, of course, a stocked bar marked with a “Prohibition Ends Here” sign. And the CLOTHES! Request a dress code straight from the roaring 20s with diamonds, pearls, feathers, and finery that is unapologetically over-the-top. This could spark a bridal look with a 1920s jeweled headband and a white flower fan in lie of a bouquet that is unsurpassed in glamour. Even though Leonardo DiCaprio’s Jay Gatsby and Carey Mulligan’s Daisy Buchanan don’t end up together, your speakeasy soiree can still end in happily ever after with a side of martinis.

#8: Moulin Rouge

If you were alive when the movie came out, you’ll remember how OBSESSED we all were with the soundtrack–especially the mashup atop a bedazzled elephant. From the same frenziedly genius mind of director Baz Lurhmann who brought us “The Great Gatsby,” this movie gave us forbidden love set to incredible music, psychedelic dance numbers, and powerful performances. It was an achingly poignant love story in a larger-than-life world, making it the perfect theme for celebrating your own love. Not to say you have to host it in a giant windmill–though that would be freaking cool–but you can capture some of the vivid visuals and undying devotion in your own nuptials. This theme is all about COLOR! If ever there was a time to forgo a white wedding dress, it would be to don Satine’s stunning red dress. All the costumes here are a literal tornado of color. Go full “can can” with corseted gowns, tiny top hats, and endless glitz as the bride enters on a glittering swing and the guest swing absinthe cocktails. Or channel Christian’s “Your Song” declaration against an inky sky scattered with stars as you dance in the mist round the top of the Eiffel tower. Silvered umbrellas and a serenading moon would be charmingly atmospheric. With this French bohemian location, you can go with buttery French pastries. And no wedding song could be more tender than “Come What May.” 

#9: Titanic

We cannot discuss epic cinematic romances without honoring “Titanic.” Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet’s Jack Dawson and Rose Dewitt Bukater gave us one of the most beloved romantic couples in cinema. True, it ends in great tragedy and makes us cry about a hundred times along the way. But still the self-sacrificing love between Jack and Rose, and the way Jack frees her true self to gift her with a full and happy life, live on just as his spirit does. Create the ambiance with steamer trunk tables, nautical-knotted napkin ropes, and boarding passes as invitations for guests to present at the door. We’re going to get just a bit macabre by suggesting a string quartet play live at the event like the fated musicians on deck of the catastrophic ocean liner. But if they have any Celtic music in their repertoire, they can play a rousing folk jig like the steerage band in Third Class so you can cavort in your own version of that iconic below-deck dance scene. Reference the iceberg in the most refined way by doing an icicle cake. Then reference the portrait drawing scene by having a live artist do pencil sketches of guests they can take as party favors. And carry a royal blue “Heart of the Ocean” jewel bouquet. Just don’t’ drop it in the water at the end!

#10: Mask of Zorro

“The Mask of Zorro,” along with making us fall in love with Antonio Banderas and Catherine Zeta-Jones, instilled in us an adoration for the romantic world presented in this swashbuckling tale. Whether your ceremony in indoors or out, supply paper fans to guests to keep them cool and add to the mood. Don’t have a Mexican hacienda for a wedding venue? No problem! Bring that feeling to your venue with an explosion of vivid reds, oranges, and yellows; an aisle strewn with marigolds, blue-tiled details in your decor and stenciled onto your cake. Recall the training cave where Anthony Hopkin’s Don Diego de la Vega passes the torch onto his apprentice by booking a venue with a waterfall (we know a great one! ;)) and placing lit candles on every surface. Hire a mariachi band to play at the reception and delight your guests with a performance of Spanish Flamenco dancers. Let the groom wear all black and, if you’re extra, have him slash a “Z” into the side of the cake–or the initials of the two of you–before slicing it with his saber. As for the bride, a bouquet of Romneya poppies and a bold, corseted gown Catherine Zeta herself would adore. If you can manage it, ride away together on a coal-black horse into the sunset.

#11: Shakespeare in Love

The fictional tale of the love affair that inspired famed playwright William Shakespeare to pen “Romeo and Juliet” as well as other romantic masterpieces, “Shakespeare in Love” is many things: a comedy of enduring cleverness, a literary marvel that incorporates many historical figures and in-jokes for fans of Shakespeare’s canon, and a beautiful love story that seemingly inspired some of literature’s greatest works. This is truly a star-studded romp with Gwyneth Paltrow, Joseph Fiennes, Geoffrey Rush, Colin Firth, Ben Affleck, Tom Wilkinson, and Judi Dench–whoo! We just about ran out of ink there! And it won a plethora of awards including 7 Oscars and 3 Golden Globes. Set in a gorgeous Elizabethan London, “Shakespeare in Love” is the quintessential inspiration for a theatrically or literary-minded couple. Set the stage for this wedding theme by assembling a rustic Medeival-style feast at endless banquet tables lit by candles and laden with savory meats, puddings, and succulent fruits. While everyone dines on the hearty fare, have a live performance of famous love scenes from Shakespeare, or even dramatic readings of his most idyllic sonnets. You can include Elizabethan-era formation dances with masks like the ball at which William and the enchanting Viola de Lesseps meet, or just keep to a classical music soundtrack to invoke that time period. If your venue has balcony, consider a trend that’s growing in popularity right now: a private cake cutting. Just you and your groom up on a balcony like Romeo and Juliet, exchanging vows in seclusion and then sharing your first slice of cake as a couple. Couples who have tried this trend confirm it makes that cake cutting moment less of a gimmick and far more meaningful. And to further honor the playwright from which this witty and intimate narrative comes, craft a bouquet of paper flowers fashioned from Shakespearean script pages.

CONCLUSION

These are just a few themes inspired by romantic cinema to get your creative juices flowing. Didn’t see anything here to stir your romantic leanings? Check out Part 2 for more movies that could initiate an epic wedding to honor your epic love.

Oh, and book The Venue at the Ranches while you’re at it. 😉