A Bride for Christmas
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The premise
A single man tries to win a bet by getting a woman recovering from a broken engagement to marry him by Christmas.
How unusual is it?
Honestly? Not very — and that's the charm. It plays the hits, which is exactly the point for a cozy night in.
Who’s in it
You’ve seen this pairing before: Arielle Kebbel and Andrew W. Walker have made 2 Hallmark movies together.
Behind the camera
ShowHide
Directed by
Written by
Wait, what?
The quirks and curveballs that make this one a little weirder than your average Hallmark. No spoilers, promise.
- The protagonist has left three different men at the altar or broken three engagements.
- The male lead's motivation is a bet to win a corner office.
- The ex-fiancé bets his 1957 Chevy in a poker game against the new boyfriend.
- The mother keeps an 'Engagement Album' documenting her daughter's failed relationships.
- The couple gets married in a living room five minutes after reconciling from a major betrayal.
Every trope, all in one place
Here’s everything this one has going on, from the setting to the way it wraps up. Tap any of the 31 to find more movies that do the same thing.
Time & season3
Characters6
Romance6
How it ends3
Why we’d put this one on
A classic bet-gone-soft setup. Arielle Kebbel plays Jessie, a serial runaway bride who has fled three engagements, and Andrew W. Walker is the commitment-phobe who bets his coworkers he can get a woman to say yes by Christmas, then picks her. You can see the trouble coming, and that is part of the fun. At a weirdness of 2 it is as gentle as these get, with a sweet supporting turn from Kimberley Sustad. If you want a frothy, low-drama Christmas romance with two charming leads, this is an easy yes.
How it all plays out
Already seen it, or just can’t wait? Open this up for the whole story, ending included.
Full story (spoilers)
The film opens with Jessie Patterston at her bridal shower, feeling the weight of her third engagement. At the altar, she realizes she doesn't love Mike and flees the ceremony, cementing her reputation as a serial runaway bride. Her sister and business partner, Vivian, supports her as Jessie vows to stop hurting people and give up on marriage. Simultaneously, Aiden MacTiernan, a bachelor who avoids commitment, is challenged by his colleague Matt to a bet: if Aiden can get a woman to say 'yes' to a proposal by Christmas, he wins Matt's corner office; otherwise, he loses his desk. Matt selects Jessie as the target after she rejects him at an art gallery, labeling her 'damaged goods.' Aiden hires Jessie to redecorate his condo to spend time with her. They bond over shared interests like horror movies, dogs, and Christmas carols, and Aiden finds himself genuinely falling for her. Jessie, feeling a spark she never felt with her previous fiances, decides to take control of her life and proposes to Aiden herself. He accepts, but the secret of the bet remains. Mike, Jessie's most recent ex, discovers the bet after losing his '57 Chevy to Aiden in a poker game and hearing Aiden's friends talking. Mike reveals the truth to Jessie, who immediately breaks off the engagement, believing Aiden's affection was a ruse. Aiden, having already tried to forfeit the bet because he truly loved her, refuses to give up. With the help of Jessie's mother, who recognizes Aiden's sincerity, he organizes a surprise reconciliation on Christmas Day. He adopts Jake, a dog from the shelter where Jessie volunteers, and proposes for real. Jessie accepts, and they are married immediately in her parents' living room by a minister her mother had on standby.
Beat by beat
Opening
Jessie leaves her third fiancé, Mike, at the altar and swears off marriage.
Inciting Incident
Aiden bets his colleagues he can get a woman to accept a proposal by Christmas to win a corner office.
Midpoint
Aiden and Jessie bond over redecorating his condo and their shared love for horror movies and dogs.
Climax
Jessie proposes to Aiden, but the engagement is ruined when Mike reveals the existence of the bet.
Resolution
Aiden adopts a shelter dog and proposes sincerely on Christmas Day; they marry immediately.
31 tropes in one movie
We counted 31 distinct Hallmark tropes packed into this one — a genuine greatest-hits reel.
How it stacks up
Where this one’s rating lands against every other rated Hallmark movie.
Higher-rated than 63% of every rated Hallmark movie. The median is 6.4.
Where this one fits
The corners of the catalog A Bride for Christmas belongs to — handy if you’re after more of the same.
Lines worth quoting
The lines that stuck with us — the ones you’ll be repeating after the credits roll.
“We're like an offset ABS fitting and a slip nut wrench. We belong together.”
— MikeMike trying to convince Jessie to come back to him using plumbing metaphors. “Getting married is like diving into a pool of frigid water. You know it's gonna be a shock, but you just close your eyes and take the plunge.”
— Susan (Mom)Giving Jessie advice on the fear of marriage. “I'm not gonna ask her to marry me just so I can win a bet.”
— AidenAiden realizing his feelings are real and trying to forfeit the bet.
Meet the characters
Who’s who before you press play. Nothing here gives the ending away.
Jessie Patterston
LeadInterior Designer
IndecisiveKind-heartedDog-loverCommitment-waryAiden MacTiernan
Love interestFinancial Advisor
Love interest and client
CompetitiveCharmingSecretly RomanticLuckyVivian
SupportingInterior Designer
Sister and business partner
PragmaticSupportiveAmbitiousMike
SupportingPlumber
Ex-fiancé
PersistentTraditionalVindictiveMatt Harper
SupportingStockbroker
Friend and colleague of Aiden
CynicalCompetitiveArrogant
Questions people ask about A Bride for Christmas
Where can I watch A Bride for Christmas?
A Bride for Christmas is available via Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, and YouTube TV. Streaming options change often, so check current availability before settling in.
How long is A Bride for Christmas?
A Bride for Christmas runs about 1 hour and 24 minutes, and was released in 2012.
Is A Bride for Christmas a Christmas movie?
Yes. A Bride for Christmas is a Hallmark Christmas movie, set during the holiday season.
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Data and sources
Curated by the Talking Hallmark team.Last updated .