25 Wedding-Planning Lessons From Our Favorite (and Least Favorite) On-Screen Couples

Feeling exhausted from all that wedding planning? You’ve earned a little break. Kick back and prepare to be inspired by our favorite movie and television nuptials. Here are 25 tips we’ve learned from them.

21. Whether you go with traditional vows or write your own, make sure they’re meaningful.

The Big Bang Theory: Penny and Leonard didn’t discuss their vows before the wedding, so she’s surprised at the altar when she finds out he wrote his own. In desperation, she ends up reciting lines from the song “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” from Toy Story. Turns out, that’s actually one of Leonard’s favorite movies, so while her vows might seem a little silly, they actually made for a touching moment. 

22. Take a moment (or several) to celebrate your friends too.

Bridesmaids: Lillian might be marrying Dougie, but the real focus of this movie is her relationships with her girlfriends. While her bridesmaids may not get along most of the time, they all rock out to Wilson Phillips together. That’s what friends are for, right?

23. Make sure there’s plenty of booze.

Wedding Crashers: Before John and Jeremy settle down with their respective ladies, they attend a lot of time at other people’s weddings. The receptions are all very different, but one thing remains constant: when the alcohol is plentiful, the guests are happy.

 

24. Have fun!

The O.C.: It should be obvious, but in the craziness of your wedding day, it’s easy to get caught up and forget to enjoy yourself. That’s why we love seeing the always-adorable Seth and Summer get goofy during the ceremony.

25. Remember that your wedding is just one day, while your marriage is forever.

Downton Abbey: Anna has to deal with a lot of drama before her wedding to John Bates (including his estranged ex-wife), but she keeps a cool head throughout it all. In her own words: “I’d rather have the right man than the right wedding.”

 

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