“The Wedding Cottage,” starring Erin Krakow and Brendan Penny, is a pleasant new Hallmark film that premiered on April 15. It is a part of their annual “Spring into Love” programming event.
Terry Ingram directed the movie from a script by Laurie B. Turner, Judith Berg and Sandra Berg.
In this film, Erin Krakow (“When Calls the Heart”), and Brendan Penny (“Chesapeake Shores”) star in the lead roles as Vanessa and Evan respectively.
The synopsis is: To launch Vanessa Doyle’s (Erin Krakow) new book “Tying the Knot – A Wedding Guide,” she holds a contest offering one lucky couple an all-expense paid wedding.
The winning couple needs to get married quickly, as the groom (Drew Henderson) is being deployed and the bride (Matreya Scarrwener) finishes graduate school in a few weeks.
The couple chose “The Wedding Cottage” for their nuptials but unbeknownst to Vanessa, it has been closed for years and is in a decrepit state. Evan Sutherland is an artist who inherited the cottage from his grandmother, and he has been using it as his temporary home while he waits for inspiration for his next “masterpiece.”
Evan has no intention of reopening, but Vanessa wants her clients to have their dream wedding and is determined to restore the cottage. With only five weeks before the big day, Vanessa uses all her charm to convince Evan to reopen and build relationships with the residents of Stony Brook to create a magical wedding for the bride and groom.
As Vanessa and Evan grow closer, it becomes clear how much “The Wedding Cottage” has meant to the town and how much more it now means to both of them.
The Verdict
Overall, Erik Krakow is sensational in the role of Vanessa, and she has great chemistry with the charming Brendan Penny, and that is evident by their tender performances.
There is a warmth to their rapport, which allows for resonance. The screenplay is cleverly written, and Terry Ingram did a solid job with the movie’s direction.
“The Wedding Cottage” is a heartwarming movie from start to finish, and it is worth checking out. It garners an A rating.
