The Wedding Planner
Encyclopedia
The Wedding Planner is a 2001 romantic comedy film
directed by Adam Shankman
, written by Michael Ellis
and Pamela Falk, and starring Jennifer Lopez
and Matthew McConaughey
.
) is a San Francisco
wedding planner who is too consumed with planning others' events to worry about her own personal life until she is saved from a nasty accident by Dr. Steve Edison (Matthew McConaughey
). Mary and Steve spend a wonderful evening in the park, watching an old movie (Two Tickets To Broadway
), dancing and nearly kissing before being interrupted by an untimely rain shower. After glowing to her friends that she had finally found a man that she likes, she soon learns that Edison is engaged to her biggest client Fran Donolly (Bridgette Wilson
).
Mary eventually agrees to plan their wedding. While shopping for flowers with Steve, Mary runs into her ex-fiancé and his pregnant wife. It is revealed the night of Mary's wedding rehearsal she found her then-fiancé kissing his high school girlfriend, to whom he's now married. Later that night Mary is drunk and is obsessing over her fiancé leaving her. Steve comforts her and helps her throughout the night. After leaving Mary's apartment, he shortly returns and pronounces his love for her. Mary declines saying she respects Fran too much to turn on her by stealing her fiancé.
After the revelation, Mary is reunited with a childhood friend Massimo (Justin Chambers
) who asks her to marry him; after a slight hesitation, Mary uses a Scrabble
board to spell "ok". Mary reaches the altar with Massimo, but their wedding is halted by her father who knows she is not truly in love with the groom-to-be, but not yet aware of the fact that she actually loves Steve. Meanwhile, Fran and Steve's wedding fails (due to their own doubts about marriage), and Steve rushes to city hall to try to stop Mary and Massimo's wedding himself. He meets Mary's father and says that he's in love with his daughter. Massimo realizes Mary's love for Steve, and Steve is happy by the fact that she loves him. With help from Massimo, Steve finds Mary and asks her to dance at the park where they first met and fell in love.
and Brendan Fraser
, respectively. They were replaced with Sarah Michelle Gellar
and Freddie Prinze Jr. Both couples eventually dropped out due to scheduling conflicts, leaving Lopez and McConaughey to be the eventual stars.
, specifically at the Music Concourse (between the old De Young Museum and the old California Academy of Sciences
) and the Japanese Tea Garden
. Many scenes were also filmed at The Huntington Library and Gardens
.
weekend. It grossed $60,400,856 domestically. Worldwide tally was $94,728,529.
The Wedding Planner debuted at #1, making Lopez the first actress and singer in history to have a film (The Wedding Planner) and an album (J.Lo) at #1 in the same week.
Romantic comedy film
Romantic comedy films are films with light-hearted, humorous plotlines, centered on romantic ideals such as that true love is able to surmount most obstacles. One dictionary definition is "a funny movie, play, or television program about a love story that ends happily"...
directed by Adam Shankman
Adam Shankman
Adam Michael Shankman is an American film director, producer, dancer, actor, and choreographer. He has been a judge on the television program So You Think You Can Dance since Season 3. He began his professional career in musical theater, and was a dancer in music videos for Paula Abdul and Janet...
, written by Michael Ellis
Michael Ellis
Michael Ellis or Mike Ellis may refer to:*Michael Ellis , British Conservative Member of Parliament for Northampton North*Michael B...
and Pamela Falk, and starring Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lynn Lopez is an American actress, singer, record producer, dancer, television personality, and fashion designer. Lopez began her career as a dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color. Subsequently venturing into acting, she gained recognition in the 1995 action-thriller...
and Matthew McConaughey
Matthew McConaughey
Matthew David McConaughey is an American actor.After a series of minor roles in the early 1990s, McConaughey gained notice for his breakout role in Dazed and Confused . He then appeared in films such as A Time to Kill, Contact, U-571, Tiptoes, Sahara, and We Are Marshall...
.
Plot
Maria "Mary" Fiore (Jennifer LopezJennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lynn Lopez is an American actress, singer, record producer, dancer, television personality, and fashion designer. Lopez began her career as a dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color. Subsequently venturing into acting, she gained recognition in the 1995 action-thriller...
) is a San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
wedding planner who is too consumed with planning others' events to worry about her own personal life until she is saved from a nasty accident by Dr. Steve Edison (Matthew McConaughey
Matthew McConaughey
Matthew David McConaughey is an American actor.After a series of minor roles in the early 1990s, McConaughey gained notice for his breakout role in Dazed and Confused . He then appeared in films such as A Time to Kill, Contact, U-571, Tiptoes, Sahara, and We Are Marshall...
). Mary and Steve spend a wonderful evening in the park, watching an old movie (Two Tickets To Broadway
Two Tickets to Broadway
Two Tickets to Broadway is a 1951 musical film directed by James V. Kern. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Sound Recording .-Cast:* Tony Martin as Dan Carter* Janet Leigh as Nancy Peterson* Gloria DeHaven as Hannah Holbrook...
), dancing and nearly kissing before being interrupted by an untimely rain shower. After glowing to her friends that she had finally found a man that she likes, she soon learns that Edison is engaged to her biggest client Fran Donolly (Bridgette Wilson
Bridgette Wilson
Bridgette Leann Wilson-Sampras is an American actress, singer and model. A Miss Teen USA in 1990, Wilson holds several acting roles in television and movies, including the role of Veronica Vaughn in the movie Billy Madison, the role of Elsa Shivers in the movie I Know What You Did Last Summer, and...
).
Mary eventually agrees to plan their wedding. While shopping for flowers with Steve, Mary runs into her ex-fiancé and his pregnant wife. It is revealed the night of Mary's wedding rehearsal she found her then-fiancé kissing his high school girlfriend, to whom he's now married. Later that night Mary is drunk and is obsessing over her fiancé leaving her. Steve comforts her and helps her throughout the night. After leaving Mary's apartment, he shortly returns and pronounces his love for her. Mary declines saying she respects Fran too much to turn on her by stealing her fiancé.
After the revelation, Mary is reunited with a childhood friend Massimo (Justin Chambers
Justin Chambers
Justin W. Chambers is an American actor and former Calvin Klein male fashion model. As of 2005, he is starring in the ABC drama series Grey's Anatomy as Dr. Alex Karev....
) who asks her to marry him; after a slight hesitation, Mary uses a Scrabble
Scrabble
Scrabble is a word game in which two to four players score points by forming words from individual lettered tiles on a game board marked with a 15-by-15 grid. The words are formed across and down in crossword fashion and must appear in a standard dictionary. Official reference works provide a list...
board to spell "ok". Mary reaches the altar with Massimo, but their wedding is halted by her father who knows she is not truly in love with the groom-to-be, but not yet aware of the fact that she actually loves Steve. Meanwhile, Fran and Steve's wedding fails (due to their own doubts about marriage), and Steve rushes to city hall to try to stop Mary and Massimo's wedding himself. He meets Mary's father and says that he's in love with his daughter. Massimo realizes Mary's love for Steve, and Steve is happy by the fact that she loves him. With help from Massimo, Steve finds Mary and asks her to dance at the park where they first met and fell in love.
Cast
- Jennifer LopezJennifer LopezJennifer Lynn Lopez is an American actress, singer, record producer, dancer, television personality, and fashion designer. Lopez began her career as a dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color. Subsequently venturing into acting, she gained recognition in the 1995 action-thriller...
as Maria 'Mary' Fiore - Matthew McConaugheyMatthew McConaugheyMatthew David McConaughey is an American actor.After a series of minor roles in the early 1990s, McConaughey gained notice for his breakout role in Dazed and Confused . He then appeared in films such as A Time to Kill, Contact, U-571, Tiptoes, Sahara, and We Are Marshall...
as Dr. Steven James 'Steve/Eddie' Edison - Bridgette WilsonBridgette WilsonBridgette Leann Wilson-Sampras is an American actress, singer and model. A Miss Teen USA in 1990, Wilson holds several acting roles in television and movies, including the role of Veronica Vaughn in the movie Billy Madison, the role of Elsa Shivers in the movie I Know What You Did Last Summer, and...
as Francine 'Fran' Donolly - Justin ChambersJustin ChambersJustin W. Chambers is an American actor and former Calvin Klein male fashion model. As of 2005, he is starring in the ABC drama series Grey's Anatomy as Dr. Alex Karev....
as Massimo - Judy GreerJudy GreerJudy Greer is an American actress, known for portraying a string of supporting female characters, including Kitty Sanchez on the Fox series Arrested Development and Cheryl on the animated comedy series Archer...
as Penny - Alex RoccoAlex RoccoAlex Rocco is an American actor. His roles have ranged from comedy to playing gangsters in Mafia movies.-Early life:...
as Salvatore Fiore - Lou MyersLou Myers (actor)Lou Leabengula Myers is an American actor. Myers is typically typecast as a grumpy old man, but he has appeared in many movies, stage plays, television sitcoms, and dramas. He got his first break as an understudy in the Broadway play, The First Breeze of Summer as Reverend Mosley. He is probably...
as Burt Weinberg - Charles KimbroughCharles KimbroughCharles Kimbrough is an American character actor known for playing the straight-faced anchorman Jim Dial on Murphy Brown. In 1990, his performance in the role earned him a nomination for an Emmy Award for "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series".-Biography:Born in St. Paul, Minnesota,...
as Mr. Donolly - Joanna GleasonJoanna GleasonJoanna Gleason is a Canadian actress and singer. She is a Tony Award-winning musical theatre actress and has also had a number of notable film and TV roles.-Early life:...
as Mrs. Donolly - Dan FinnertyDan Finnerty-Early and personal life:Finnerty was born in Rochester, New York, but grew up in the small town of Bath, New York and attended Emerson College in Boston. He was a member of the hit off-Broadway show Stomp in New York City. On August 8, 1995, he married actress Kathy Najimy. Gloria Steinem...
as Best Man - Kathy NajimyKathy NajimyKathy Ann Najimy is an American actress, most notable as Olive Massery on the television series Veronica's Closet, Sister Mary Patrick in Sister Act and the voice of Peggy Hill on the animated television series King of the Hill. Prior to her film work, she was best known for two Off Broadway shows...
as Geri
Casting
The original actors set to play Mary and Steve were Jennifer Love HewittJennifer Love Hewitt
Jennifer Love Hewitt is an American actress, producer, television director and former singer-songwriter. Hewitt began her acting career as a child by appearing in television commercials and the Disney Channel series Kids Incorporated...
and Brendan Fraser
Brendan Fraser
Brendan James Fraser is a Canadian-American film and stage actor. Fraser portrayed Rick O'Connell in the three-part Mummy film series , and is known for his comedic and fantasy film leading roles in major Hollywood films, including Encino Man , George of the Jungle , Dudley Do-Right , Monkeybone ,...
, respectively. They were replaced with Sarah Michelle Gellar
Sarah Michelle Gellar
Sarah Michelle Prinze , known professionally by her birth name of Sarah Michelle Gellar , is an American actress, singer and executive producer...
and Freddie Prinze Jr. Both couples eventually dropped out due to scheduling conflicts, leaving Lopez and McConaughey to be the eventual stars.
Locations
Many of the scenes were shot in Golden Gate ParkGolden Gate Park
Golden Gate Park, located in San Francisco, California, is a large urban park consisting of of public grounds. Configured as a rectangle, it is similar in shape but 20% larger than Central Park in New York, to which it is often compared. It is over three miles long east to west, and about half a...
, specifically at the Music Concourse (between the old De Young Museum and the old California Academy of Sciences
California Academy of Sciences
The California Academy of Sciences is among the largest museums of natural history in the world. The academy began in 1853 as a learned society and still carries out a large amount of original research, with exhibits and education becoming significant endeavors of the museum during the twentieth...
) and the Japanese Tea Garden
Japanese tea garden at Golden Gate Park
The Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco, California, is a popular feature of Golden Gate Park, originally built as part of a sprawling World's Fair, the California Midwinter International Exposition of 1894...
. Many scenes were also filmed at The Huntington Library and Gardens
The Huntington Library
The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens is an educational and research institution established by Henry E. Huntington in San Marino, in the San Rafael Hills near Pasadena, California in the United States...
.
Box office
The film was released on January 26, 2001, debuting at number 1 at the box office with $13,510,293 on the Super BowlSuper Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
weekend. It grossed $60,400,856 domestically. Worldwide tally was $94,728,529.
The Wedding Planner debuted at #1, making Lopez the first actress and singer in history to have a film (The Wedding Planner) and an album (J.Lo) at #1 in the same week.