One of my all time favorite movies is My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Since The first time I saw the movie when I was five, it has always managed to put a smile on my face. To commemorate the news of the sequel coming out I have complied a list of 25 life lessons I learned from My Big Fat Greek Wedding!
1. Embrace your ethnicity and cultures.
One beautiful thing about life is we all have different heritages and cultures. My Big Fat Greek Wedding taught us to embrace our ethnicity and love where we come from and who we are
2. Large family is a blessing and a curse.
Having a large family is amazing because you have 24 cousins to always be with and aunts and uncles always around for support but it can be overbearing. The relationship with the family showed us how sometimes family can be a bit to nosy and too involved in certain aspects of your life. Toula showed us how the blessings of a large family outweigh the curses
3. If you're not happy change it
In one of the first scenes Toula is dreaming and wants to change but doesn't believe she will... but she does! By the end of the movie she becomes a whole new woman with a new job, a new look, a college education, husband and child with an appreciate for her Greek heritage and family. Toula showed us how to take our daydreams and turn them into reality.
4. True love always prevails.
You ever know when your future mate will walk into your family restaurant and then the travel agency you work at and put your life in a world wind of change. Through all of the disapproving family and cultural differences Ian's and Toula's faces there true love always prevailed!! Ian and Toula show us that no matter what your facing if your relationship is strong enough you can get through it!
5. "If you are women, you must get married."
Now if you want to listen to the old fashion greek Protocols family then that is how you should live! Today's modern person and Toula showed all women that they can be content doing what they want like getting a education until the right someone comes along!!
6. One makeover can go a long way.
Toula was beautiful before and after her makeover but, after her makeover she became a whole different woman. Having the change in her appearance showed her that she too was beauty and she gained confidence in herself. Toula's new found confidence is one thing everyone should learn, confidence is truly beautiful
7. Family intervention is sometimes unwanted but can be helpful.
Sometimes everyone just wants to do something on their own but family seems to step in. Occasionally, all you need is a little nudge from your family to help show you the light and figure things out.
8. Going to college can change your entire life.
Education is a gift and once you get your greek father to agree to let you become educated nothing can stop you from there. After learning computers and landing the job at your aunt's travel agency your life will only keep climbing upward form there.
9. Sometimes family schemes are for the best interest of everyone.
Moms and aunts always know what to say to get Dads to do what's best! Like the time When Toula's mom and aunt came up with a would pre-acted out scheme to get her dad to think it was his idea to let her work at the travel agency. Sometimes a little family planning can work for the best.
10. You can't hide things from your family for long.
With a big family nothing is going to stay hidden for long!! Toula showed us how her and Ian's relationship couldn't stay hidden for long until someone found out and it go back to her parents or until cousin Niki walked in on them in the travel agency. Family always know what is going on in your life and that isn't always a bad thing
11. Meeting the family isn't always as planned.
When Nothing can stay hidden with a big family meeting the parents is inevitable and planning isn't always able to happen!! Sometimes meeting the family catches you off guard when you least expect but if you love the person you have to roll with the punch like Ian did with Mr. Portokalos disapproving remarks!
12. Set ups don't typically end well.
When your family tells you they found you the perfect man or woman, there probably wrong! Like when Mr. Portokalos set Toula up with all of his Greek "friends" and she was repulsed by almost everyone of them!!
13. If you truly love someone, you will do anything for them.
We were shown how much Ian loved Toua because of everything he did for her! He followed her wishes of keeping their relationship secret, he met her family when they found out, adapted to her culture, got baptized at her church and moved next door to her family.
14. Crazy aunts have the best stories.
Toula's crazy aunt Voula always had the best stories! Like the one where she had her twin sister as a lump on her back!
15. "If you don't eat meat thats okay I make lamb."
When your dating a Greek girl its okay if you don't eat meat because when you go to family dinners they will make you lamb instead.
16. Family events can be a culture shock for outsiders.
When the Portokalos invited the Millers over for a family get together they had a culture clash to say the least! The Millers were overwhelmed with all the people and various activities and the Portokalos's were underwhelmed with the Miller's lack of interest.
17. A bunt cake can also be a flower holder.
When The Millers brought the bunt cake to the Portokalos's family get together no one could figure out why there was a hole in the center of the cake, so they made it a flower holder.
18. Every word has a Greek root.
According to Mr.Portokalos we learn that almost every single word in the English language can be traced back to having a greek root!
19. Everyone has differences but in the end we are all fruit.
We learned that no matter our difference we are all fruits in the end! When Mr. Portokalos gave his wedding speech he traced Ian's last name back to have the meaning of apple and Portokalos to the meaning of orange. He made a beautiful comparison that they all had differences but were all the same at the end of the day.
20. When you go to get brochures, make sure you are not still connected to your head set.
Try not to be connected to your phone and fall flat on your face when your dream guy walks in to the travel agency like Toula did.
21. You can always look nice for "pottery class.
Before Toula told her family she was dating Ian she would tell them she started taking a pottery class, which she had just happened to be so dressed up for.
22. Windex is the cure all.
Mr.Portokalos taught us that windex can cure and fix any problem you are having, even those gross zits!
23. Some traditions you hated as a kid are ones you cherish and pass on to your own children.
One thing that Toula always talked about how much she disliked was Greek school, but when she had her daughter she sent her to Greek school and expressed how much she loved it and it is something she cherishes
24. Don't let your family pick out your wedding dress.
On Toula's wedding day, her family picked out her gown. She thought she looked horrible and she absolutely hated her gown and even tried ripping off piece on it!!
25. Living next door to your parents can have perks.
At the weeding Toula and Ian's gift from Mr. and Mrs. Portokalos was the house next door. Living next to her parents was great for them to stay near family while having a little privacy.