Hollywood Wedded to The Formula

Kate Hudson, left, and Anne Hathaway play best friends mutated into selfish harridans, each fighting to have her perfect wedding, in "Bride Wars." (By Claire Folger -- Twentieth Century Fox)

What we want from a wedding movie is reassurance. Reassurance that we are not as crazy as the bridezillas on screen, and reassurance that even if we were, someone would love us anyway. If not Kevin McKidd, then Patrick Dempsey. If not Patrick Dempsey, then Josh Lucas. If not Mr. Big, then our brunch bunch.

That part actually is like real life.

"Weddings are expected to be this burdensome event," says Rebecca Mead, author of "One Perfect Day: The Selling of the American Wedding." "There's this idea that: 'Oh, this is the first real test of our relationship. If we can survive this, we can survive anything.' Like your wedding is a hurricane or something."

Of course most brides don't get in wrestling matches at the altar. They don't, midway down the aisle, decide to marry Cary Grant instead of John Howard. Those things only happen in the movies.

Or in our wildest dreams. Or our worst nightmares.

But as long as wedding movies work as stand-ins for our darkest fears and deepest desires, they will keep being made.

Just consider Hathaway's next project, which is called "The Fiance." Completing Hathaway's nuptials trifecta, it's about a woman who tries to break off an engagement to a man her parents adore.

Here Comes the Bride. Again and again and again.