You're Cordially Invited is a 2025 American romantic comedy film written and directed by Nicholas Stoller. The movie stars Will Ferrell and Reese Witherspoon and was released on Amazon Prime Video on January 30, 2025.
The movie follows two families who accidentally book the same wedding location, leading to chaos and humor. Jim (Will Ferrell) and his daughter Jenni are set for their dream wedding, but the venue is also reserved for Neve and her sister Margot (Reese Witherspoon), a wedding planner.
Sharing the venue presents both practical and emotional challenges for both parties. Filming took place at Lake Oconee, Greensboro, Georgia, including the colonial estate known as Palmetto House and Sandy Creek Barn. Some scenes were also shot in Atlanta, featuring State Farm Arena.
Filming locations of You're Cordially Invited
Lake Oconee, Georgia
The primary filming location for You're Cordially Invited was Lake Oconee, located about 75 miles east of Atlanta, Georgia. This serene lakeside area served as the perfect backdrop for the film’s fictional wedding venue, Palmetto Island.
Producer Lauren Neustadter emphasized the remote location and scenic beauty of Lake Oconee in press notes as reasons why it was perfect for the movie. Lake Oconee offered the ideal backdrop for writer-director Nicholas Stoller's vision of a scene that would make viewers wish they were there.
The setting set the tone for the comedy resulting from the double booking incident while allowing for realistic wedding scenes.
Palmetto House – Fictional Venue in Greensboro, Georgia
In the movie, the wedding venue is named Palmetto Island, but in reality, much of the action took place at an estate near Lake Oconee. An important part of the film's events took place at the location, which includes a colonial house. In and around this house, a number of scenes were filmed, including the final wedding ceremony, humorous interactions, and wedding preparations.
The main center of activity was this house, which was unofficially referred to as the Palmetto House for the movie. This area served as the backdrop for scenes like Jim's wrestling match with a crocodile and the families' competition to outdo one another.
Sandy Creek Barn, Lake Oconee
Another key filming location in You're Cordially Invited was Sandy Creek Barn, a restored historic barn on Lake Oconee. This venue played a crucial role in several wedding-related scenes, including dinners, dances, and family interactions.
The barn, which has been transformed into a modern event space, provided the perfect contrast to the grand estate, adding a rustic charm to the film.
Sandy Creek Barn is a great choice for encapsulating the movie's elegance and humor because of its reputation for fusing traditional Southern architecture with contemporary conveniences. Some of the most dramatic and humorous parts of the movie, such as the wedding speeches and dance scenes, took place there.
State Farm Arena, Atlanta
While most of the movie was filmed in Greensboro and around Lake Oconee, one key sequence was shot in Atlanta, Georgia. The roads surrounding State Farm Arena, home of the NBA's Atlanta Hawks, are the setting for a pivotal scene in the movie.
Following a tumultuous sequence of events at the wedding, Jim and Margot rush to make amends with their embarrassed loved ones in this scene, which features a dramatic driving sequence.
In downtown Atlanta, State Farm Arena is a well-known location that frequently hosts sporting events, concerts, and big parties. The abrupt change from the serene lake scene to the busy city streets heightened the film's comedy and narrative tension.
Also Read: Where was the Presence movie filmed? All filming locations explored
Detailed plot of You're Cordially Invited
You're Cordially Invited follows Jim, a single father planning his daughter Jenni's wedding, and Margot, a wedding planner organizing her sister Neve's wedding. Both families unknowingly book the same venue, leading to chaos as they try to share the space. Tensions rise as Jim and Margot clash over wedding details like reception plans and seating.
The brides, Jenni and Neve, are simultaneously juggling their personal problems and questioning their relationships and future plans. Throughout the film, the families become closer as a result of heartwarming discoveries and amusing scenes, which lead to a surprising but joyful conclusion.
Stay tuned for more news and updates on You're Cordially Invited and similar projects as the year progresses.