Snow Bride
Where to watch
Via 
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The premise
Greta Kaine (Katrina Law) is always in search of juicy gossip. As a gossip-tabloid reporter in Los Angeles, it's her job to expose the rich and famous. So when word gets out that the late Senator Tannenhill's sons might be proposing marriage at their family's Big Bear compound during Christmas, Greta and her chief rival Wes (Tom Lenk) are challenged by their old-school editor to get the scoop. There's incentive to be the first, too: the editorship of the magazine's new online incarnation. Greta's assistant tells her that Wes has a head start to snowy Big Bear, so she dashes to the mountain resort. When she mistakenly ends up as a guest of the family, she's in the middle of what could be her best story yet. However, she discovers that the family, including matriarch Maggie Tannenhill (Patricia Richardson) and caretaker Peters (Robert Curtis Brown) are more down-to-earth than she had assumed. Increasingly guilt-ridden about her game of subterfuge, Greta must decide how far she will go for a story.
How unusual is it?
Middle of the road, with a twist — a fake relationship and mistaken identity keep it from being totally by-the-book.
Who’s in it
Behind the camera
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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 spends a significant portion of the first act wandering through a blizzard in a full wedding gown.
- The protagonist provides the absurdly long fake name 'Kanabelsteinsky' on the spot.
- The resolution involves the love interest's mother buying an entire media conglomerate just to hire the protagonist and protect her family's image.
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 38 to find more movies that do the same thing.
Setting2
Time & season3
Characters9
Romance6
Tone & quirks6
Why we’d put this one on
A mistaken-identity Christmas romance with a great running joke. Katrina Law plays Greta, a tabloid reporter sent to dig up dirt on a wealthy family at their snowy mountain compound. When her car dies and she ends up trudging through a blizzard in a borrowed wedding gown, the family mistakes her for a runaway bride, and she rolls with it to get her scoop. At a weirdness of 5 the lie keeps getting more tangled, and the image of her wandering a snowstorm in full bridal regalia is pure Hallmark. Guilt, romance, and a pretty mountain backdrop.
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 Greta Kane, a talented but unfulfilled reporter at a Los Angeles tabloid, competing with her rival Wes for a promotion to editor-in-chief of a new online gossip site. Their boss, Lou, tasks them with uncovering which of the Tannehill brothers—sons of a late Senator—is planning a Christmas engagement. While picking up a wedding dress for her friend Doria, Greta impulsively drives to the Tannehill estate in Big Bear. Her car slides off the road during a blizzard, and she is forced to hike through the snow in the bulky wedding gown to find help. She is discovered by Ben Tannehill, who is staying in a modest cabin to work on a secret novel. Assuming she is a jilted bride, Ben takes her in. When Ben's brother Jared arrives with Ben's manipulative ex-girlfriend Claire, Ben introduces Greta as his own date to avoid embarrassment. Greta adopts the fake name 'Greta Kanabelsteinsky' and is welcomed into the Tannehill home by the matriarch, Maggie. Over the course of the week, Greta participates in family traditions like gingerbread house building and a charity football game. She discovers that Ben has no interest in the family's political legacy and wants to be a writer, a secret she encourages him to pursue. Meanwhile, Claire becomes suspicious of Greta's background and conspires with Wes to uncover her identity. At the Tannehill Christmas Ball, after Jared proposes to Claire, Claire publicly exposes Greta as a tabloid spy. Heartbroken and feeling betrayed, Ben asks Greta to leave. Greta returns to LA and refuses to write the scandalous story, choosing to quit her job instead of betraying the family's trust. In a twist, Maggie Tannehill reveals she knew Greta's identity all along thanks to her assistant Peters. Maggie buys the 'Pulse Gossip' tabloid to pivot it toward serious journalism and offers Greta a job. Greta also secretly sends Ben's manuscript to a publisher, securing him a book deal. The film concludes at Doria's wedding, where Ben finds Greta and they reconcile, finally beginning their own real romance.
Beat by beat
Opening
Greta is tasked with spying on the Tannehill family to win a promotion at her tabloid newspaper.
Inciting Incident
Greta crashes her car in a snowstorm while wearing a wedding dress and is rescued by Ben Tannehill.
Midpoint
Greta enters a 'fake dating' arrangement with Ben to hide her identity and help him save face in front of his ex-girlfriend.
Climax
Claire exposes Greta's true identity as a reporter during the Tannehill Christmas Ball, leading to Greta's expulsion from the house.
Falling Action
Greta quits her job rather than publish the Tannehill exposé, and Maggie Tannehill buys the newspaper.
Resolution
Ben and Greta reunite at a wedding after Ben's novel is accepted for publication.
38 tropes in one movie
We counted 38 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 70% of every rated Hallmark movie. The median is 6.4.
Where this one fits
The corners of the catalog Snow Bride belongs to — handy if you’re after more of the same.
- Best Hallmark Christmas MoviesIt is, of course, a Christmas movie.
- Hallmark Fake Relationship MoviesBuilt on a fake-dating setup.
- Hallmark Dog & Pet MoviesA four-legged matchmaker.
- Hallmark Baking & Cooking MoviesPlenty of time in the kitchen.
- Hallmark Single Parent MoviesA single parent finds love again.
Lines worth quoting
The lines that stuck with us — the ones you’ll be repeating after the credits roll.
“You almost die in snowstorm and you think of anything as 'hi'?”
— Ben TannehillWhen Ben first finds Greta shivering in the snow in her wedding dress. “Humor is the best form of revenge.”
— Greta KaneDiscussing her 'runaway bride' situation with Ben. “I'm Greta Kannnnabelsteinsky.”
— Greta KaneGreta panicking and making up a fake name when Ben asks who she is.
Meet the characters
Who’s who before you press play. Nothing here gives the ending away.
Greta Kane
LeadTabloid Reporter
AmbitiousCynicalResourcefulKind-heartedBen Tannehill
Love interestAspiring Writer / Political Heir
Romantic interest and rescuer
HonestPrivateSupportiveTalentedClaire Sinclaire
AntagonistSocialite
Ben's ex-girlfriend and Jared's fiancée
ManipulativeStatus-seekingJealousMaggie Tannehill
SupportingPhilanthropist / Matriarch
Potential mother-in-law
PerceptiveWealthyProtectiveWise
Questions people ask about Snow Bride
Where can I watch Snow Bride?
Snow Bride is available via fuboTV, YouTube TV, and Philo. Streaming options change often, so check current availability before settling in.
How long is Snow Bride?
Snow Bride runs about 1 hour and 24 minutes, and was released in 2013.
Is Snow Bride a Christmas movie?
Yes. Snow Bride 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 .