I’m watching four weddings and a funeral

[Frynye]

I’m watching four weddings and a funeral for the first time since I was about 15 and I have questions. When did everyone stop wearing hats to weddings and why are so many people (Carrie mainly) wearing white to weddings

I'm over 60, and I dont remember this horror about wearing white in my youth. People talk about it now as though it must be the obvious thing to everyone, but it really isn't.

Went to see it four times at the cinema in the summer of 1994. Those were the days.

LOVE this film. I'm a true 90's gal - graduated 1992
The thing I remember is how bloody funny it was - real belly laughs in the cinema. Perhaps you had to be there.
I had a clapped out old mini - wonderful memories.
"For god's sake Bernard, I'm not that desperate!" and then she married him - classic
Realised the guys were gay the instant they were making breakfast together - not sure how the younger generation (where gay marriage has always been a thing) sees this now - my (adult) dc fall into this category - they just don't get how people had to hide this, or that mainstream films had to be subtle.
My sisters and I had a theory where Charles was meant to end up with Fiona, but then the producers got Andi MacDowell interested in a starring role so he then had to fall for the "frightful American". The Carrie character is the worst thing about the film.
Definitely of it's time - but the comedy stands up well. Hugh Grant was wonderful in it.

My main takeaway from it (was a similar age as the characters too) was that the only vaguely emotionally healthy person in it was Tom!

Everyone else in it was a total fuck up in some respect, although I would say that Matthew and Gareth were only so as they were still a wee bit on the down low as despite what a lot pop media would have you believe, being gay wasnt "oh....whatever" everywhere then.

I am 50's and I dont remember it either but then I remember weddings were where you wore your "Sunday Best", regardless of what colour it was. Each wedding didnt require a new outfit, and if you did need one then you wore it to each wedding you had been invited to as long as it fitted! Attending a wedding was genuinely to love and support to the couple and celebrate their union, it wasnt a chance to show off and have an "insta" opp.

I've actually never seen this movie. Is it good? Did it hold up well over the years? Is it worth watching today?

Are we supposed to dislike Carrie? Interesting if so. I’ve always thought she was hideous and wanted Charles to end up with Fiona.

Watched this recently too

It's so British. Quintessentially so

It’s a light easy watch. Very funny in places and not as sickly sweet as other films by the same fella. Held up well. Huge Grant is quite beautiful at that age. Sad about all the people in it who are gone though. Especially Charlotte

Four Weddings was the film that made me fall in love with Hugh Grant, then I went to the cinema to see About a Boy, Love Actually, all the Bridget Jones series & Notting Hill, I've got all the films on DVD & have watched them so many times I've nearly worn them out. I must admit there is something about Hugh Grant playing the floppy haired posh boy that really does something to me.

The not wearing white thing was definitely a thing in the 90s. I think in America/Canada you were expected to though, so perhaps it was just because Carrie was American.

People still wear hats to weddings though less men seem to wear top and tails than I remember. Weddings seem to be more of a palaver now.

Yes! All this.

Charles is David's brother so presumably has been signing in order to speak to him since childhood? So the others know him as their friend's brother

@deplorabelle agree watching with a teen she's been cringing at the many sexist references.

The structure of the script is so well done. Have to hand it to Curtis on that. Some of it has aged badly, but the structure of it means you never have to tolerate a bad bit for very long. Very accomplished screenwriting. And some of the jokes are still genuinely funny, which you can’t say about all ‘90s humour. The opening sequence with all the ‘fucks’ is peerless (I’m convinced David Simon ripped it off for a key scene in The Wire 20 years later!)

Plus there are so many really top drawer performances. I think this was my first sight of Kristen Scott Thomas and goodness me, hasn’t she turned out to be an ornament to the nation. Everyone in the country sobbing at John Hannah reading Auden. And yes, Grant just grabbing his chance with both hands and becoming a massive star.

I loved this film so much. I remember going to see it with a friend at the time (he was from that crowd) and laughing so much. It’s such a 90’s film. Will have to rewatch at some point but god Andie mcdowell was awful in it. Charles and Fiona forever.

I can’t remember any? Examples?

She was joking.

Doesn’t it just make you want a bashed up old landrover too 😂

I've got a 44yo friend from Northern Ireland who wore hats to weddings into her 30s. Maybe they're more popular there?

What Carrie wore never struck me as odd either.
I wore a cream suit to a couple of weddings and it was absolutely fine. There wasn’t any doubt whatsoever who the bride was. These were church weddings though, so far more traditional.
It’s more of a modern thought not to wear certain colours. At that time the vast majority of people did wear hats for weddings too.
I think only on MN do the rules of not wearing certain colours exist. I’ve never heard of not wearing say a light coloured floral dress or green for a wedding.
When I look back at old family photos from many years ago, all the men are wearing suits at weddings without any exception.
The bridesmaids were all young too- hence the term maids. The dresses were appropriate for girls and very young women rather than what we see today. I often cringe at what bridesmaids are expected to wear today. To put it bluntly it doesn’t look good. All this cheaply made, see through, too tight and far too long attire.

I think Richard Curtis has a problem - there are no gay couples in Love Actually, either. It's all very hidden with him.

Everyone has money I remember. No one seemed to have job that involved being at work. Grant was superb, his posh boy act perfect for that film that launched him and Liz Hurley as press headliners. Scott Thomas just beautiful and cool. As if she would be single!! The gay relationship was v.well done. Seems crazy now that people felt it had to be hidden

You’re rights hats are not the norm other than for MOB. Fascinators were a thing for a while but not now. Wearing white even cream as a guest is a big NO these days seen as disrespectful yet strangely it never used to be so much. On a side note I found Andi McDowell’s acting awful in this so wooden

I need to rewatch this too.
I could never work out if the writing was terrible or if it was Andy M’s acting which was terrible.
I’m sure she was in Groundhog day and was great in that though.
Maybe it was the way a male had written on behalf of a female which made her scenes so cringe.