The Most Iconic Mothers of the Bride From Movies
The Most Iconic Mothers of the Bride From Movies
A mother is always there for her daughter—but perhaps never so much so than on her wedding day! Ree Drummond can't wait for her daughter Alex's upcoming wedding. They've been busy sorting out all the details and one of the only things left for Ree to do is pick her mother-of-the-bride dress. ??
In honor of Ree and all the other busy wedding-planning moms out there, we're paying homage to the best movie mothers of the bride. They include Southern charmer M'Lynn Eatenton (Sally Field) from Steel Magnolias, the hilarious Maria Portokalos (Lainie Kazan) from My Big Fat Greek Wedding, the sharp-tongued Aurora Greenway (Shirley MacLaine) from Terms of Endearment, and more memorable MOBs.
These movie moms have pearls of wisdom to share with their daughters—whether they like it or not—so you'll probably learn a thing or two about love and marriage as you laugh, cry, and reminisce your way through these films. Of course, you don't need a special occasion to celebrate the mother of the bride in your life. But this Mother's Day 2021 could be the perfect time to snuggle up on the couch with your mama and one of these classic films that highlight the special bond between mothers and daughters. Happy Mother's Day, everyone!
M'Lynn From "Steel Magnolias"
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As Sally Field's Steel Magnolias character M'Lynn once joked, "I must have missed the passage in Emily Post that says all abuse is heaped on the mother of the bride." Even though she may have complained about her MOB duties — not to mention the wedding's "Pepto-Bismol" color scheme — M'Lynn is just about as supportive and loving as any mother could be to her daughter, Shelby (Julia Roberts).
Maria From "My Big Fat Greek Wedding"
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As a wise mother of the bride named Maria Portokalos (Lainie Kazan) once told her daughter, Toula (Nia Vardalos), "The man is the head, but the woman is the neck. And she can turn the head any way she wants." With clever advice like this, Toula's marriage is sure to be a success! ??
Kerry From "Crazy Rich Asians"
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When Nick Young (Henry Golding) and Rachel Chu's (Constance Wu) love is on the line, it's mother of the bride Kerry Chu (Tan Kheng Hua) who swoops in—from across the world, no less—to save the day with a tearjerking mother-daughter talk. There won't be a dry eye in the house for this scene!
Nina From "Father of the Bride"
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Father of the Bride is mostly about Steve Martin's zany antics as an anxious dad struggling to come to terms with the fact that his "little girl" is getting married. But imagine how unhinged he'd really be without his more level-headed better half, mother of the bride Nina Banks (Diane Keaton)!
Aurora From "Terms of Endearment"
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What kind of mother of the bride doesn't show up to her own daughter's wedding? It can only be Shirley MacLaine as Aurora Greenway, an uptight and overprotective mother who doesn't approve of her daughter Emma Horton (Debra Winger)'s choice for a husband (Jeff Daniels). Aurora may not have won mother of the year, but Shirley did win an Oscar for her role in this beloved classic!
Viola From "Monster-In-Law"
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Technically she plays the mother of the groom, but we'd be remiss if we didn't mention Jane Fonda's hilarious turn as Jennifer Lopez's "monster-in-law" in this hit 2005 rom-com. Jane steals the whole show as Viola Fields, a mother who is determined to ruin her son's (Michael Vartan) relationship. But like every good mother, she comes to her senses (eventually)!
Mama Joe From "Soul Food"
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Mama Joe (Irma P. Hall) and her soulful cooking are the glue that holds the Joseph family together. As mother of the bride, she even saved the day when the groom's wandering eye threatened to derail the whole wedding!
Donna From "Mamma Mia! The Movie"
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When the mother of the bride is Meryl Streep, you know the wedding is going to be good. Meryl and Amanda Seyfried sparkle as Donna and Sophie, a mother and daughter whose special bond is put to the test when Sophie invites three men to her upcoming wedding, each one of whom could potentially be her father. By Sophie's wedding day, all is forgiven as Donna helps her daughter get dressed for the ceremony and later walks her down the aisle. So sweet!
M'Lynn From "Steel Magnolias" (Once Wasn't Enough!)
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It takes an amazing actress to fill Sally Field's shoes, but Queen Latifah did an excellent job as always in this 2012 Lifetime retelling of the play Steel Magnolias and its 1989 film adaptation.
Pimmi in "Monsoon Wedding"
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Lillete Dubey steals the show as frazzled mother of the bride Pimmi in this heartwarming film about a colorful and chaotic Indian wedding. Pimmi is determined to give her daughter the perfect day, but she channels mothers of the bride everywhere when she admits at one point, "This wedding is driving me nuts!"
Who's your favorite movie MOB? It's a tough choice!