What happens when the mother of the bride falls in love with the father of the groom? Directed by Mark Waters, Mother of the Bride is an American rom-com where former lovers Lana and Will reunite under what can be described as peculiar circumstances. Lana’s daughter, Emma, and Will’s son, RJ, were engaged to marry. Lana and Will were not in touch, and naturally, they did not expect to meet each other at the wedding. Emma was a lifestyle influencer, and she had recently been offered a sponsorship by a high-end resort company, Discovery. Making Emma’s wedding spectacular was absolutely crucial for Discovery’s online presence, and Emma thought it would just be perfect. Phuket was chosen as the wedding destination, and all was going well until Lana and Will met.
Spoiler Alert
Why did Lana and Will break up in college?
Lana was surprised to come across her former lover from college at the wedding destination. She was all the more shocked when she figured out that he was RJ’s father. The situation was awkward, to say the least, and it was all too sudden for Emma and RJ to process. They tried to deal with the situation like adults, but there was clearly some romantic tension between Lana and Will. After seeing Will step out of the shower naked, things got all the more awkward for the ex-lovers. Emma could sense that her mother was quite worked up because of the situation, and when she spoke to her, she learned more about her mother’s relationship with Will. As it turned out, Lana and Will were the ‘it’ couple in college, and Lana thought that they would build their future together. But her heart was broken when Will left her all of a sudden. He disappeared completely from her life, and after all these years, she finally met him at her daughter’s wedding. Lana did admit that she too changed her number and moved out of town, giving Will barely the chance to ever connect with her. She was not ready to accept him because she believed no excuse could justify his actions. Lana planted a seed of doubt in Emma because she could not help but wonder if RJ was also as indecisive as his father. Emma initially showed confidence in her would-be husband, but she also could not completely disregard what her mother had stated. There were moments when Emma wondered if her mother was right, but RJ helped her overcome all her doubts about him.
What helped ease the tension between Lana and Will?
Lana’s friend, Janice, and Will’s brother, Scott, and his husband, Clay, helped the ex-lovers clear the air between them. During the pickleball match, it became obvious to Janice, Scott, and Clay that there was a lot of pent-up tension between Lana and Will. The sudden breakup years ago had left Lana devastated, but she also could not help the fact that she was still attracted to Will. She tried to distract herself by going on dates with a young doctor who was staying at the resort. But she did not feel emotionally connected with Lucas, and she clearly did not see a future with him. Lana started to feel comfortable around Will once again after they, along with Janice, Scott, and Clay, ended up partying at the beach. They were college buddies, and they believed this was their best opportunity to recreate the fun that they used to have back then. They ended up getting into slight trouble for skinny-dipping, but thankfully the resort manager chose not to take any action against them. The entire experience helped Lana and Will bond, and the awkwardness was gone.
How did Lana and Will get over their past?
Emma was disappointed in her mother for acting irresponsibly, and she accused Lana of wanting to sabotage her wedding. Emma’s manager had pretty much taken over all responsibilities, and Lana was sad about her lack of involvement in her daughter’s wedding. But she eventually accepted it all for her daughter and tried to enjoy the wedding in her own way, but that backfired. Lana tried to help her daughter understand how she was losing sight of who she was and the things she loved and was instead obsessing over perfecting her Instagram feed. Lana was quite emotional after her daughter suggested she leave, and Will helped her calm down. Instead of leaving, Will advised her to take some time off. He drove her to one of the most stunning locations, and Lana was reminded of the romantic man she dated during her college days.
Will and Lana ended up at Lover’s Cove after they got stranded. They were hopeful that a boat would pass by and rescue them. In the meantime, they finally discussed the elephant in the room. Lana was not comfortable because every time she thought about how Will had failed her, she was reminded of the pain she had to endure. It took her a lot of courage and strength to move on from their almost-perfect relationship and find love again. She married Emma’s father, but unfortunately, eight years after having Emma, he passed away in an accident, and she was left to take care of her daughter all by herself. Even though she was attracted to Will, she was not entirely sure that she wanted to risk being vulnerable once again.
Will never got the chance to explain his side of the story— he explained that after college, Lana was confident about her interest in scientific research, whereas he was still confused about his future. He strongly believed that he would only drag Lana down, and he decided that it was important for him to discover what he truly wanted from life. It was a journey that he had to make all by himself, and that was why he left. He tried to contact Lana, but by the time he found her lab address, she was already married. Will eventually married RJ’s mother, but he never loved her, and they ended up getting divorced. He could never get over Lana, and as fate would have it, he finally met her at his son’s wedding. The explanation helped Lana realize that Will never faked his feelings for her, and she decided to finally forgive him, and they considered building a future together.
Why did Emma fire Camala?
Emma was deeply hurt after her conversation with her mother, but she could not deny the fact that whatever Lana said was right. Emma had been so obsessed with the reach of her wedding posts that she forgot to enjoy the moments. What should have been the most important days of her life turned into a job that she had to nail. She strived for perfection, but in the process, she forgot to spend time with her loved ones. She realized she had been forcing everyone to do things that they were not comfortable with just for the gram. Emma looked forward to her charity work at Ocean Institute, but it was not on the priority list of her manager, Camala. Emma was reduced to a puppet in the hands of the sponsorship company, and she finally decided it was time that she put her foot down. After reconciling with her mother, Emma informed Camala that her mother and bridesmaids would wear clothes of their choice and not the brands she had chosen. She also wanted her mother to read the toast she had originally written instead of the one a random writer had composed. Emma told Camala to cancel her appointments because she intended to spend all her time with her family. Camala was not happy about the sudden changes, to say the least, but at the end of the day, it was Emma’s wedding, and she was the only one who could make the last call.
What was Will hiding from Lana?
Lana overheard Will’s conversation over the phone during rehearsal dinner, and she assumed that he was talking to his lover. She was shocked and heartbroken. She blamed herself for trusting Will once again. The next day, at the wedding, Lana only focused on her daughter, and she chose to ignore Will completely. Lana’s behavior towards him had changed, and Will did not know what was going on. He was confused, and he hated being ignored by Lana. After the wedding, when Emma tossed the bouquet, Lana tried her best to dodge it. Will was frustrated—it was evident that Lana was rethinking their decision to get back together, and he could not help but ask about it in front of all the guests. Lana was initially hesitant, but the bride and groom did not mind the sudden drama that had unfolded.
In Mother of the Bride‘s ending Lana confronted Will about the phone call she overheard the previous night. The woman in question, Katrina, stepped forward, and she turned out to be Will’s assistant. She had been working with him for twenty years, and she was tired of Will’s outrageous requests. This time, he requested that she bring him the ring that he had bought when he was twenty-two to the resort on one-day notice.
Mother of the Bride ends on a romantic note, with Will proposing to Lana with the ring he had bought years ago. He was afraid of losing her once again, which was why it was so important for him to have the ring ready. After thirty years, the former lovers got back together, and the best part was that Emma and RJ were more than happy about their relationship. It was fate that brought Lana and Will together, and the love they shared finally reunited them.
