Big, Fat Love Lessons taught by a Greek Wedding

Everyone has to have a crazy family, I am shocked if there are never those weird aunts and uncles at family reunions. At least that's how it is with my family, on both my Moms side as well as my Dads. Which is why I am so excited about this post because it is about one of my favorite movies of all time, My Big Fat Greek Wedding.  My Moms side is full of Eastern Europeans, specifically Slovaks and Croatians so each year at our family reunion there is folk music, folk dancing, weird smelling food, and one of the most complicated language I have ever heard. All the time I keep getting asked questions in Slovak that I cannot answer (I can basically ask for more food, say I want to dance, and say 'I love you') as well as hear stories about the "old country". On my Dads side is all of the Irish, loud, occasionally someone will become an 'Irish hothead', and of course talk about great the Irish rebellion was. Basically I completely understand the loud, large, and always wanting to know your business families. 

My Big Fat Greek Wedding is a timeless classic in my mind, showing the life of Toula Portokalos, a woman who's Greek family, in her mind is over the top. Always in her business, too loud, too large, and way too concerned with her getting married. Toula is first portrayed as awkward, not as lovely as her sister, but a really hard worker as well as incredibly smart. One day while working at her families Greek restaurant, she meets a handsome man Ian Miller, and make a complete fool of herself of course. Toula begins to make changes in herself, taking college classes, buying new clothes, and starts to look good for her. I think that is one of the most important lessons that My Big Fat Greek Wedding gives, that Toula did not simply change for a man, she changed for herself because she became more confident and wanted to portray that confidence. Her confidence leads to going out secretly with Ian. 

While Toula begins to secretly date Ian, she falls in love, becomes engaged, but needs to tell her family. Another lesson is provided during this time of the film, that you will do anything for the person you love. This is shown purely in Ian dealing with Toula's family, their disapproval of him but because he loves her, he makes his best effort in everything. He also tries to understand how Windex can cure everything (if you don't understand that, see the movie it is a huge pop culture reference); basically this entire movie is filled with pop culture references. After many many hilarious stories, the combining of Ian's family and Toula's family, the wedding actually happens and the audience sees Toula appreciate how insane her family is. 

The film depicts a love that is extremely strong, the love within a family, but it also shows how strong the bond is between two people who fall in love and are meant to be together. While yes family can be embarrassing, sometimes overbearing, but in the end there is so much love that everything else doesn't seem to matter. True love is also something that will overcome most everything, both important lessons that the movie teaches. This film is a fantastic movie for how to deal with a crazy family, portray confidence for oneself, and is honestly just a feel good movie.