Fourteen long years ago, Greek Canadian actress Nia Vardalos had a surprise hit with a sweet and harmless comedy. My Big Fat Greek Wedding plundered Ms Vardalos’ ethnic heritage for broad and affectionate stereotypes, and co-starred John Corbett as an Anglo-Saxon suitor who gets a nasty shock when he meets his fiancée’s loud and histrionic family. With the support of producers Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson (who helped make Vardolas’ one-woman show into a feature film), the film defied expectations and became one of the highest-grossing comedies of all time. Made for a song, it earned more than $350 million, but a subsequent TV show flogged the idea to death and that, it seemed, was that.
However, the spirit of the Greeks is resilient. Vardalos returns as the star and the writer of My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2. Her character Toula has been happily married to Ian (Corbett) for nearly two decades. Their daughter Paris (Elena Kampouris) is close to going to college and for much of the film, she’s torn between studying at Northwestern near where the family lives in Chicago and moving to New York City to become a student at New York University. Like the original film, the plot’s twists and turns are seldom surprising but it’s the cast and the characters here who keep the story entertaining. Most of the characters aren’t new (other than Paris– who briefly appeared as a child in the original– there are few new characters to speak of) but there’s a comfort and a wacky sense of fun that appears whenever this cast comes together.
While the reviews for this sequel have been a bit mixed, there is of course a sweet humor and charm that is meant for everyone to enjoy. Why did it take 14 years to follow up the top-grossing romantic comedy of all time? “That completely my fault,” says Vardalos. In fact, the reason behind the delay is intensely personal. At the end of the first movie, Vardalos had written that her character had become a mother. But her real lifed did not stay on script. She and her real life husband had tried for years to have a child of their own, but to no avail. She couldn’t bring herself to write a film in which she was a mother. “I wouldn’t know the emotions of what to write. I just said, I can’t do it.”
But Vardalos never gave up hope of becoming a mother. In 2008, after more than nine years of struggling to become parents, Vardalos and her husband were told they’d been matched up with a beautiful 3 year old girl. “The road to my becoming a mother was long and sad,” says Vardalos. “But now that I am one, I am so grateful. I can’t imagine my life without her.”
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 is now playing in theaters nationwide. Watch the trailer here:
Lace and sheer fabrics have been popular since the weeding of Kate and William and the trend continues. This year layering of these fabrics have added details to simple, elegant styles, which has been widely used to create bohemian style dresses. There has also been a rise in backless dresses along with those using sheer fabrics across the back to create a backless effect.
The English country garden has certainly influenced many bouquets and flower arrangements this year. Using mixed bunches of softly colored blooms creates a look that the flowers have just been freshly picked on route to the venue. A different trend for summer weddings is creating a tropical feel and as a result, there have been a rise in the number of succulents that are making their way into wedding bouquets and arrangements.
In keeping with the more relaxed approach to weddings, street food buffets and banquet style dining are being favored over set menus. Clear labelling and allowing guests to pick from a wide selection of food also helps with managing various dietary requirements and keeping everyone happy and well fed.
Of course a vintage classic car is always going to be a popular choice, no matter what the trend, but this is one area where the groom might get to influence the decision! An open topped retro vehicle might look the part, but even with a tropical inspired wedding, there’s no guaranteeing that it won’t be pouring with rain on the big day.
Your photographs will help to retain precious memories of the day, so they too should reflect the feel of the event. If you are having a more relaxed celebration, the last thing you want is a photographer lining everyone up in formal groups for the photographs. A photographer that can mingle unseen in the crowd and capture the spirit of the day is ideal, but no matter what you want, make sure you communicate it clearly, so you have something to look back on and share for years to come.
Tying the knot isn’t what it used to be. The wedding industry is as profitable as primetime football, celebrities compete for the shortest, most gimmicky marriages (72 days or less?) and the exotic appeal of a romantic getaway has led to the widespread popularity of destination weddings.
The author of Destination Weddings for Dummies, Susan Breslow Sardone, says the traditional American wedding costs an average of $28,082, whereas destination weddings average around $20,600.
For tropical weddings especially, many of the cheaper, DIY options are more easily packed into suitcases. For instance, colorful fabric is being used to replace flowers and native delicacies are replacing towering cakes.