Top 5 Money Earning Wedding Movies

In Shakespeare’s day, tragedies ended in death and comedies ended with a wedding. Now, many movies of all genres center around matrimonial ceremonies. Below is the list of top 5 money-earning films about weddings. These are not my personal favorites, but the ones that made the most cash at the box office. This list is through September 2011.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding was a little independent film that shattered records.  It was released on April 19, 2002 and made a meager $597,362 its opening weekend.  Word-of-mouth and awards buzz helped run up the tally to $241 million over the course of its theatrical run.  Nia Vardalos penned the script and played the lead role.  She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.  The film, directed by Joel Zwick, also picked up a Golden Globe nomination for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy. 

Wedding Crashers, starring Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson, opened in theaters on July 15, 2005 and quickly garnered over $33 million.  It continued on to earn a staggering $209 million at the box office.  Wedding Crashers won three MTV Movie Awards:  Best Breakthrough Performance (Isla Fisher),  Best Movie, Best On-Screen Team (Vince Vaughn & Owen Wilson).  Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson each were nominated in the Best Comedic Performance category, but lost to Steve Carell for his role in The 40-Year-Old Virgin.  Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson won the People’s Choice Award for Favorite On-Screen Match-Up and the movie won for Favorite Movie Comedy.  David Dobkin directed the film and Steve Faber and Bob Fisher penned the script.

Bridesmaids opened in theaters on May 13, 2011 to a reception of $26.2 million at the box office. The brash comedy stars Saturday Night Live alumni Maya Rudolph and Kristen Wiig, who co-wrote the script with Annie Mumolo. Paul Feig directed and Judd Apatow produced the film which grossed over $168 million during its theatrical run. The movie was also nominated for five Teen Choice Awards including: Choice Movie Actress: Comedy for both Rudolph and Wiig, Choice Movie Hissy Fit for Kristen Wiig, Choice Movie: Female Scene Stealer for Melissa McCarthy and Choice Movie: Comedy.

Garry Marshall’s Runaway Bride, starring Julia Roberts, opened in theaters on July 30, 1999. It picked up $35 million in its first weekend, and $152 million total. Julia Roberts was nominated for Best Female Performance at the MTV Movie Awards, but lost to Sarah Michelle Gellar in Cruel Intentions. Joan Cusack won Favorite Supporting Actress –Comedy/Romance at the Blockbuster Entertainment Awards, while Richard Gere and Julia Roberts were nominated for Favorite Actor – Comedy/Romance and Favorite Actress – Comedy/Romance, respectively. Josann McGibbon and Sara Parriott authored the screenplay.

Mamma Mia!, the only musical on this list, debuted in theaters on July 18, 2008 to a very strong $27.7 million. Catherine Johnson penned the hit which took in over $144 million during its theatrical run. While it was nominated for two Golden Globes (Best Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical, and Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical for Meryl Streep) and an MTV Movie Award (Breakthrough Performance Female for Amanda Seyfried), Pierce Brosnan won a Razzie Award for Worst Supporting Actor in 2009.

Sweet Home Alabama, starring Reese Witherspoon, took the box office by storm on September 27, 2002 by picking up over $35.6 million in its first weekend. The Andy Tennant-directed film brought in $127.2 million while in theaters. Douglas J. Eboch is credited with the story which C. Jay Cox developed into a feature-length screenplay. Reese Witherspoon was nominated for an MTV Movie Award for Best Female Performance and the Teen Choice Awards for Choice Movie Actress – Comedy. Candice Bergen also picked up a Teen Choice nomination for Choice Movie Villain, while the movie won Teen Choice Movie – Comedy and Choice Movie Liplock (Reese Witherspoon and Josh Lucas).