The contemporary romance writer, Elizabeth Young, wrote a novel, ‘Asking For Trouble,’ in 2002 that got adapted into an American romantic comedy movie, ‘The Wedding Date.’ The movie got written by Dana Fox and directed by Clare Kilner.
In The Wedding Date, a single New Yorker named Kat Ellis does not want to appear single in her sister’s (Amy) wedding. Thus, she hires a handsome male escort named Nick Mercer to pretend to be her boyfriend only for the wedding day. Moreover, she wants her ex-fiancé, who suddenly broke up with her two years ago, to see how happy she is without him.
The filmmakers started filming The Wedding Date on 18 July 2003 and released it on 04 February 2005. With a budget of $15 million, the movie made a total collection of $47.2 million throughout the world, $31.7 million in Canada and the US, and $15.4 million in remaining territories.
The ninety minutes long movie got distributed by Senator International and Universal Pictures and produced by the Gold Circle Films Production Company. Here comes the spoiler. At the end of the movie, Kat forgives Amy and gets into a genuine relationship with Nick. The only character that does not change is Jeffrey.
Also Read: Where Is Unstoppable Filmed? All Locations Revealed!
The Wedding Date Filming Locations
Though The Wedding Date is an American movie, several scenes got shot in England and a few in the US. The director wanted to show England’s natural beauty.
Surrey, England
St. James’ Church in Church Lane, Shere (Surrey), looked like a twelfth-century structure. Thus, Giles Edleston, the location manager, chose it as the wedding location. The reverse-point view of the church was shown with the rest of the village in various movies such as Small Town Story, The Holiday, and more.
Chilworth Manor’s historic country house, Guildford’s Albury Park, and The Square were used to film some scenes in the movie. The manor worked as the Fletcher-Wooten estate. Amy had planned a picnic for the four days of her wedding extravaganza. It got filmed in about 46-hectares-long Winkworth Arboretum on Hascombe Road.
Essex, England
Many scenes from The Wedding Date got filmed at the London Stansted Airport in Stansted Mountfitchet village and Essex. The latter is a large county in England’s East Anglia located at the doorstep of London. Kat Ellis and Nick Mercer arrived at Stansted Airport from New York.
Also Read: Cruel Summer Filming Locations: Where was the Teen Thriller Filmed?
London, England
The filmmakers used three main locations from London: Primrose Hill, Parliament Hill Fields, and St Peter’s Square. Primrose Hill gives a panoramic view of the city and Regent’s Park. It has a paved pathway that makes it easier to get to the top.
Parliament Hill Fields, located in Hampstead Heath, north-west London, has a 98 meters high hill. This unique piece is in the countryside near central London. The fields, overlooking Central London, got used to showing the characters playing rounders.
St Peter’s Square is north of the River Thames in Hammersmith and has easy access to the riverfront. This private square got laid out in 1825. Other locations in London used for filming the movie are Castellain Road, Formosa Street, and Prince Alfred at the corner of Formosa Street.
The opening cocktail party took place in an in-town hotel in London. Similarly, several pre-wedding events occurred in the same city. The cast and crew members considered themselves fortunate to get an opportunity to film in London despite language and food issues.
New York City, New York
Kat Ellis lived at 79 Jane Street in Manhattan. On the other hand, an apartment on 117 East 19th Street got used as Nick Mercer’s habitat in Manhattan. Meanwhile, some scenes also got filmed at Irving Place in the same city.
Wimbledon Commons
The cinematographer, Oliver Curtis, said it was difficult to find a working hotel that would allow them to film for three days. Fortunately, the team found a hotel in Wimbledon Commons which acted like a perfect filming location.
The crew members could film several steadicam shots as the lobby, dining, and reception area were interconnected. Thus, they could freely roam from one space to another.
Also Read: Dazed And Confused Cast Then And Now
