The latest movie in The Hallmark Channel’s, Spring Into Love movie season is The Wedding Cottage and it is definitely one of its best. Starring Erin Krakow as Vanessa and Brendan Penny as Evan, it’s a story of growth, inspiration, perseverance, misunderstandings, and falling in love.
One of my favorite movies of all time is The Wedding Planner. At its core it was about two people, finding a way past their pain and allowing themselves to be open to love. In a way, this movie felt like The Hallmark Channel’s answer to that movie or at least it kept reminding me of it.
And that’s a good thing. A great thing really.
Even that being said, The Wedding Cottage holds its own because of the story, actors, and the character arcs.
In the movie, Vanessa (Erin Krakow) has written a book – Tying the Knot – A Wedding Guide. In celebration of her book, she ran a contest to give a deserving couple an all expenses paid wedding of their dreams.
I’ve always wondered about these contests, because a wedding of someones dreams can get very expensive and is very different based on the person. And then there is the whole thing of logistics and in this situation, there really is going to be some logistical issues. The groom (Drew Henderson) is being deployed and the bride (Matreya Scarrwener) finishes grad school in just a few weeks, so the couple needs to get married ASAP.
Vanessa is the eager people pleaser type, but I find myself not caring, because I am so happy to see Erin Krakow back in a movie on Hallmark. Normally these type of characters are somewhat annoying and overwhelming, but here, from the beginning, I am rooting for her.
Especially when we meet Evan, but we’ll get there.
The couple has chosen a wedding cottage that they want to get married at and well, Vanessa doesn’t know that it’s actually shut down and in disrepair. Evan (Brendan Penny), who inherited the cottage, doesn’t really care much about it and finds it an inconvenience. He also finds Vanessa to be somewhat annoying.
The thing about how Brendan Penny plays Evan is so good, because he has a tendency to play characters that you love and you love him. But Evan – you’re definitely like nope, he’s mean, not for me. Evan is bitter and angry and has a lot of issues that make a person what to write him off completely.
When Evan says that he’s reconsidering calling the sheriff, I found myself saying, what an ass.
But it’s the way that he softens up a little bit when Vanessa heads back after his refusal to let her fix up the cottage (at her expense) that makes me think that I need to be kinder to the uninspired artist that Evan is. He just needs people to not leave, but give him space.
It seems as though Evan wants to be angry, but for the sake of being angry. He’s got his issues, but he doesn’t seem to want to address them. And hey, he’s blocked by his bitterness and resentment and I am not sure as to why. That’s the one thing that I am not sure as to what is happening with him, because I can’t figure out why he is the way he is.
The joy of the movie is the onscreen chemistry that we get to see from Brendan and Erin. It’s chemistry that comes from a solid friendship in real life. It’s one of the things that Hallmark gets right. They know that their actors are friends, they know that they have a connection. Erin and Brendan have so much respect and love for each other (as friends) that it comes across so genuine that you can buy their characters on screen.
In the movie, it’s the way that Evan and Vanessa, over time, find a way to break down each others walls, by getting to know each other – their strengths, weaknesses, and their heart – that makes their story believable. There is a road of ups and downs and moments that you find yourself believing in these two because you want them to continue to grow.
The Wedding Cottage‘s strength is that it has a solid foundation of a story, solid actors and Hallmark professionals that know how to deliver with what the fandom wants, and a beautiful setting. The Wedding Cottage is something that we think that you can’t miss and should watching.
