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In matters of the heart, you can always look to the magic of motion pictures for romantic inspiration. So many elements of the wedding are out of your control -- fighting in-laws, nervous groomsmen, malfunctioning equipment -- but it’s completely within your power to add silver screen romance to your proposal, wedding, and honeymoon.
Having trouble finding the exact words to pop the question? Need advice on creating the perfect romantic setting for the wedding? Searching for an exotic location for your honeymoon? Screenwriters have already done the work for you, providing clever ideas of what to do (and what not to do) for every conceivable romantic scenario.
You can adapt these silver screen suggestions for your own private use by mixing and matching the best parts from the best movies for the best results. But keep in mind these two key ideas that will aid in the process: romanticize and customize.
What To Do:
- Wait however long it takes until you realize that you want to spend the rest of your life with a particular person, and then don’t wait another minute to tell him or her (When Harry Met Sally).
- Repeat yourself if necessary. “I marry you. I marry you. I marry you.” This worked fine for Jude Law and Nicole Kidman, whose characters got engaged and married at the same time (Cold Mountain).
- Propose on the night of a special occasion, e.g., a graduation or birthday, to make the day even more memorable (Legally Blonde).
- Offer a special token as an engagement gift. Choose something with emotional significance for both of you (Runaway Bride).
- Find an interesting way of presenting the engagement ring, such as wrapped in a series of boxes (Serendipity) or through a tollbooth window (While You Were Sleeping).
- Strive for the whole romantic fairy tale package once you find your Prince Charming or Cinderella (Pretty Woman).
- Wake your partner with a gentle loving kiss instead of an alarm clock (Sleeping Beauty and Snow White).
- Be willing to relocate anywhere in order to make the marriage work (Splash).
- Plan a beautiful outdoor wedding if the season and locale permit (George of the Jungle).
What Not To Do:
- Don’t ever – even for a minute – ignore your lover’s inner beauty (Shrek).
- Don’t propose on a crowded, smelly subway train. Cruise ships and trains are far more romantic forms of transportation (Coming to America).
- Don’t use profanity in the proposal unless, of course, it would make your intended more likely to say yes (Me, Myself & Irene).
- Don’t propose to your best friend on the day of his/her wedding to someone else. The timing is a little inconvenient and might upset the caterer (My Best Friend’s Wedding).
- Don’t pack the engagement ring in your checked bag when flying to the place where you plan to propose. The airline might lose it – along with everything else you own (Meet the Parents).
- Don’t scratch body parts while proposing, regardless of the severity or location of the itch. “My scalp is not getting enough blood sometimes. Have some dessert. Will you marry me?” (Moonstruck).
- Don’t get engaged onboard an enemy ship minutes before you’re both scheduled to be executed. There’s just not enough time for a honeymoon (The African Queen).
- Don’t marry a wart-hog faced buffoon just because he’s rich and powerful when you really love a poor and perfect farm boy (The Princess Bride).
- Don’t leave your new spouse alone on the honeymoon with a good looking scuba instructor, tennis pro, or fitness trainer (Along Came Polly).
Although every wedding should be special and unique, you can still take your inspiration from the movies. Maybe the potential groom isn’t quite as suave as Johnny Depp in Don Juan DeMarco and the bride-to-be can’t fit into Julia Roberts’s spandex mini-skirt in Pretty Woman. There’s no reason, however, why the two of you can’t propose, marry, and honeymoon like America’s Sweethearts and live happily Ever After in your own Cinderella Story.
About The Author
Leslie Halpern is a Central Florida-based freelance writer and author of the book Reel Romance. The Lovers’ Guide to the 100 Best Date Movies (Taylor Trade Publishing, 2004), a popular gift for bridesmaids and groomsmen. She also wrote Dreams on Film (McFarland & Company, 2003), and writes a column about independent movies for Markee Magazine. Visit her website.
© Copyright 2007 by
Leslie Halpern
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