A Christmas Wedding Tail

4.9/10 · 784 ratings20111h 30mChristmasWeirdness 5/10Bingo card

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The premise

It's love at first sight when Rusty the Labrador and Cheri the Poodle meet one day while jogging in the park. Even better- their owners fall in love too! But love is more complicated for the people, Susan and Jake, who marry and attempt to join together their large family of five children. With kids fighting and a household in complete chaos, it's up to the dogs to keep the family together.

How unusual is it?

Middle of the road, with a twist — Santa himself keeps it from being totally by-the-book.

Who’s in it

Behind the camera

Show

Wait, what?

The quirks and curveballs that make this one a little weirder than your average Hallmark. No spoilers, promise.

  • The entire movie is narrated by a dog with a 'tough guy' internal monologue.
  • The dogs have a telepathic-style dialogue with each other that the humans cannot hear.
  • A high-powered New York agent tries to scout a Reverend for a job during the wedding ceremony.
  • The wedding planners suggest a 'leopard print' theme and 'booty shakes' for a traditional Christmas wedding.

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 36 to find more movies that do the same thing.

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 is narrated by Rusty, a dog who recounts how he met the love of his life, a poodle named Cheri, and how their owners fell in love in the process. Susan Davis, a high-powered art curator from Los Angeles, moves back to her mother's small town after losing her job. While at a dog park, Rusty's attraction to Cheri forces Susan into a 'meet-cute' with Jake Campbell, a widower who owns a local winery. The two hit it off and go on a date at Jake's winery, where they both nervously reveal they have multiple children—Susan has three boys and Jake has two girls. Despite the potential for chaos, the families begin to blend, and Jake proposes during a Thanksgiving dinner that is interrupted by a runaway pet mouse and a peanut butter sandwich feast. They decide to marry on Christmas Day, giving them less than a month to plan. The wedding preparations are fraught with eccentric characters, including a series of bizarre wedding planners and a dog-allergic country club manager. Tensions rise when Susan's agent, Pat, secretly secures her an interview for a prestigious curator position at MOCA in New York. Susan attends the interview in secret, and when she is offered the job, the revelation causes a major rift with Jake, who cannot leave his family winery. They break up, leaving both the humans and the dogs heartbroken. Seeing their parents' misery, the five children and two dogs conspire to reunite them. They visit a local Santa Claus who helps them coordinate a meeting at the town's Christmas Fair. At the fair, Jake and Susan realize they cannot live without each other; Jake offers to move to New York, but Susan decides that her family and her new life in Los Olives are more important than the big-city career. The film concludes with a Christmas Day wedding where the dogs serve as the ring bearers, and the new 'mega-family' settles into a happy, albeit crowded, life together.

Beat by beat

  1. Opening

    Rusty the dog introduces the story and meets Cheri at the dog park, forcing Susan and Jake to interact.

  2. Midpoint

    Jake proposes during a chaotic Thanksgiving dinner, and the couple decides on a Christmas wedding.

  3. Rising action

    Susan secretly interviews for a dream job in New York, creating a conflict between her career ambitions and her new relationship.

  4. Climax

    Jake and Susan break up over the New York job, but the children and dogs use a local Christmas Fair to force a reconciliation.

  5. Resolution

    Susan turns down the New York job, and the couple marries on Christmas Day with their five children and two dogs.

36 tropes in one movie

We counted 36 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.

Rating 4.9 vs every rated Hallmark moviemedian 6.4This movie · 4.9567

Among the lower-rated Hallmark movies — the median is 6.4.

Where this one fits

The corners of the catalog A Christmas Wedding Tail 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.

  • “It was love at first sniff.”
    — RustyDescribing the first time he saw Cheri at the dog park.
  • “I am not a small-town person. You have this. You have the winery. What do I have?”
    — SusanArguing with Jake about why she needs to take the job in New York.
  • “If I had tear ducts, I would cry.”
    — RustyWatching the wedding ceremony at the end of the film.

Meet the characters

Who’s who before you press play. Nothing here gives the ending away.

  • Susan Davis

    Lead

    Museum Curator

    AmbitiousDevoted motherCity-dweller at heart
  • Jake Campbell

    Love interest

    Winery Owner

    Fiancé

    TraditionalKindFamily-oriented
  • Pat Blake

    Antagonist

    Career Agent

    Professional Agent

    Fast-talkingCynicalAggressive
  • Rusty

    Supporting

    Narrator / Dog

    Susan's Dog

    SarcasticRomanticLoyal

Questions people ask about A Christmas Wedding Tail

Where can I watch A Christmas Wedding Tail?

A Christmas Wedding Tail is available via Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, and Plex Channel. Streaming options change often, so check current availability before settling in.

How long is A Christmas Wedding Tail?

A Christmas Wedding Tail runs about 1 hour and 30 minutes, and was released in 2011.

Is A Christmas Wedding Tail a Christmas movie?

Yes. A Christmas Wedding Tail is a Hallmark Christmas movie, set during the holiday season.

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Data and sources

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Sources:IMDbTMDB