Berlin celebrates 25th anniversary of Runaway Bride, the movie that made the town famous
The small town of Berlin, Maryland, was once known by another name.
That is, of course, when filming was underway for the classic 1999 romantic-comedy film Runaway Bride, starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere. That's right — in 1998, the town of Berlin became the fictional town of Hale, Md., where the film's main female character resides.
This year, the quaint, Eastern Shore town is celebrating the special 25th anniversary of the release of Runaway Bride. As the official release date — July 30 — draws near, many townsfolk are reflecting on the shining star that is Berlin.
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Runaway Bride generated excitement all around Berlin, Md.
Runaway Bride, directed by Garry Marshall, follows reporter Ike Graham as he writes a story about a woman, Maggie Carpenter, who has left a string of fiancés at the altar. Ike nicknames Maggie the "Runaway Bride." Together, the two come face-to-face in the town of Hale, where love blooms unexpectedly.
Next to award-winning actress Julia Roberts and actor Richard Gere, Berlin's Main Street was a sure star of the film. Main Street became a “hot” set for many weeks as filming was done using numerous downtown shops, not to mention hundreds of locals as extras, according to the Town of Berlin.
"(The producers) were looking for small towns. It was between Berlin and one other town, but they came to us first and I think that was probably to our benefit. They fell in love with Berlin," said local resident and former business owner Debbie Frene, prior to expressing her own love for the town.
According to Frene, Richard Gere visited the town alongside the film director and simply loved what he saw.
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"Interest is just as rampant as it was the day it was filmed," said local resident Mike Wiley, who spends much of his time welcoming newcomers to town at the Berlin Welcome Center.
The Berlin Welcome Center, located at 14 S Main St., features a 24/7 vestibule full of information about local businesses, upcoming events, exciting tidbits of town history and, in one corner, famous actors Julia Roberts and Richard Gere.
"I take about a thousand pictures every year of ladies posing with (Richard Gere) and men posing with (Julia Roberts)," Wiley said of the eye-catching, life-size cardboard cutouts.
Local boutique transformed into a bridal shop for Runaway Bride
One local business played, arguably, one of the biggest roles in the film: Victorian Charm, located at 100 N. Main St. The boutique, which was formerly owned by Debbie Frene and features a weathered, green front door and colorful, eclectic interior, was transformed into a bridal shop for Runaway Bride.
Frene was approached by the film crew, who expressed their interest in using the boutique in the film. She happily obliged. And so, Victorian Charm was temporarily closed and Frene given five weeks of paid vacation as her shop was stripped of its merchandise and replaced with bridal shop décor.
"I was tickled, plus I got a five-week vacation," Frene said with a laugh. "When you're in retail, you don't get that."
The transformation process was quick and painless.
"They came into my store and took absolutely everything out, except for a couple cabinets and lighting. Then, they brought in all of their stuff and turned it into a bridal shop," Frene shared.
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Movie's premiere celebrated with a big Berlin luau and more
Once filming concluded, Frene spearheaded the organization of a gala to celebrate the big movie premiere. The gala featured a vibrant luau theme in honor of one memorable scene from Runaway Bride in which Julia Roberts and Richard Gere are dressed in Hawaiian shirts and leis.
According to Frene, the first two showings of the film were sold out. In addition to special first-time screenings of the film at Flagship Premium Cinemas in Ocean City, Md., the gala also included buses to and from the event, as well as a pig roast, live music and hula dancers in Berlin.
"It was definitely well attended," Frene said of the gala. "Everyone had a really good time."
Frene is proud to have played a part in the film by means of her boutique. Victorian Charm, now owned by Melissa Stover, continues to welcome avid fans of the film to this day.
"I was very lucky to have them want to use my shop," Frene said. "No one else has bragging rights to that."
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Popular filming locations beckon curious fans to town
Like Victorian Charm, many local businesses gained even more popularity following the filming process.
"It was exciting," said local business owner Toni Stuart. "People were coming from all over the country to see Berlin."
Stuart, who owns Stuart's Antiques in Berlin, was able to salvage an antique poster that reads, "Please excuse our appearance. Our downtown is being dressed for part of the Paramount film Runaway Bride. Our shop is open for business as usual. Please feel free to join us."
While some, like Stuart, found the influx of sightseers to be amusing, others saw them as more of a nuisance.
What is now East and Main, located at 17 N. Main St., was once a hair salon known as The Hair Shop. Over the years, the hair salon welcomed countless clients, one of which was local resident Denise Gottloeb, co-owner of On What Grounds? coffee house in downtown Berlin.
The hair salon, renamed Curl Up & Dye for Runaway Bride, beckoned many curious onlookers to town once filming had ended. Fans would peer inside and ask, "Is this where Curl Up & Dye was?" The hairdressers would put down their styling tools before answering any questions.
"A twenty-minute haircut took 45 minutes to an hour," said Gottloeb, who didn't appreciate the disruptions.
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Berlin to host "Runaway Bride Fun Run/Walk" this month
Fans of the iconic film can celebrate the 25th anniversary of the release of Runaway Bride by partaking in this year's "Runaway Bride Fun Run/Walk," set to take place on Saturday, July 27. Participants may wear their choice of wedding attire, such as a wedding dress, bridesmaid dress, suit, tuxedo t-shirt or all-white getup, all while reliving the magic of Runaway Bride and raising money to support local families living in low-income circumstances.
The designated route is 1 mile long, and will begin on the lawn of the Calvin B. Taylor House Museum, where everyone will meet to check in. Registration, which costs $20, will start at 7:45 a.m. and the race will begin at 8:15 a.m. The route will continue down Main Street, turn onto Washington Street and West Road, and end at the museum.
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The event will feature a post-run reception, said to include an awards ceremony, photoshoots and hit songs from the film soundtrack. The Street Kitchen food truck will have breakfast sandwiches available for purchase. After the reception, participants are invited inside the Calvin B. Taylor House Museum to see an expanded Runaway Bride exhibit.
During the awards ceremony, prizes will be presented for 1st, 2nd and 3rd fastest times, as well as "Best Dressed" and "Best Dressed Group." Registration for the event, which ends July 24, can be found online. All proceeds from the event benefit Worcester County GOLD, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in Snow Hill, Md. Questions regarding the race may be directed to the race director at [email protected].
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Well-known Berlin spots that appear in Runaway Bride
Here's a full list of Runaway Bride's most well-known film and set locations throughout the town of Berlin:
Maggie's House: Baker St. at Rail Road Tracks
Taylor House Museum: 208 N. Main St.
Hale Hardware: 106 N. Main St.
Bridal Shop: 100 N. Main St.
Hale Post Office: 24 N. Main St.
Falcon Diner: 10 N. Main St.
Atlantic Hotel: 2 S. Main St.
Photography Studio: 103 N. Main St.
Prop Storage & Wardrobe: 11 Pitts St.
Designs by Maggie: 27 N. Main St.
Arts & Crafts: 19 N. Main St.
Curl Up & Dye: 17 N. Main St.
Hale Herald & Jefferson's 5 & 10: 1 N. Main St.
Paramount Office: 7 S. Main St.
Welcome to Hale Sign: West St. & Broad St. (no longer standing)
Peach Shed: 12 Artisans Way
Olivia Minzola covers communities on the Lower Shore. Contact her with tips and story ideas at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Salisbury Daily Times: The town of Berlin celebrates 25th anniversary of Runaway Bride
