Bridesmaids: Exploring The Film's Setting And Locations

The 2011 comedy Bridesmaids is primarily set in Milwaukee and Chicago. However, most of the filming took place in Los Angeles, California. The production designer, Jefferson Sage, acknowledged the challenge of finding locations that could pass for the Midwestern cities of Milwaukee and Chicago. While there are a few glimpses of the real Milwaukee and Chicago, such as the Chicago River and Navy Pier, many of the locations seen in the film are in Los Angeles and its surrounding areas.

The film is set in Milwaukee and Chicago

The 2011 comedy Bridesmaids is primarily set in Milwaukee and Chicago. The film follows Annie Walker, a young single woman living in Milwaukee, who is asked to be the maid of honour for her best friend, Lillian, after her bakery goes out of business.

Most of Annie's story takes place in Milwaukee, with several locations across the city. The exterior of Annie's apartment is at 2501 South Kinnickinnic Avenue, and the jewellery store where she works, 'Cholodecki's', is at 1009 Mitchell Street. The bar where she goes drinking with Officer Rhodes is at 3218 West Cameron Street.

The film also features several locations in Chicago, including the Chicago River and Navy Pier. The engagement party takes place at the Sherwood Country Club, 320 West Stafford Road, and the bridal shower at the Harris Estate, 380 South San Rafael Avenue.

Although the film is set in Milwaukee and Chicago, most of the filming took place in Los Angeles, California.

Most of the filming took place in Los Angeles

The 2011 comedy Bridesmaids was mostly filmed in Los Angeles, California. The film is set in Milwaukee and Chicago, but only a few establishing shots were taken in these cities. The majority of the filming took place in Los Angeles, with a few locations in nearby areas such as Encino, Hollywood, Oxnard, and Van Nuys.

One of the key locations in the film is the bridal store, 'Belle en Blanc', which is located on South Spring Street in downtown Los Angeles. The exterior of the store is a well-known filming location, having appeared in films such as Se7en, Spider-Man 2, and The Mask. Another notable location is the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden, which was used as the venue for Lillian and Dougie's wedding. The Arboretum has been a filming location for many other films and TV shows, including Tarzan, Fantasy Island, and Anaconda.

The production designer, Jefferson Sage, noted that one of the appealing aspects of the project was the contrast between Annie's world in Milwaukee and Helen's world in Chicago. However, it was a challenge to find locations in Los Angeles that could convincingly portray these two distinct worlds. Sage and his team had to get creative and use locations like the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden to represent the Midwest.

Other filming locations in Los Angeles include the Hollywood-friendly neighbourhood of Encino, which was used for the exterior shots of Ted's house, and the Paramount backlot in Hollywood, which was used for the interior shots of Joni's bakery. The exterior of Cholodecki's jewellery store, where Annie works, was filmed at an empty store on Mitchell Street in the Historic Mitchell Street district of Milwaukee.

There are a few locations in Milwaukee

While the film Bridesmaids is primarily set in Milwaukee and Chicago, most of the filming took place in Los Angeles, California. However, there are a few locations in Milwaukee that were featured in the film.

One such location is the exterior of 'Cholodecki's', the jewellery store where Annie works and is eventually fired. This was filmed at an empty store on 1009 Mitchell Street, at South 10th Street, in the Historic Mitchell Street district. The store name was changed digitally during post-production.

Another location in Milwaukee is the apartment that Annie shares with Gil and his sister. The exterior of the building can be found at 2501 South Kinnickinnic Avenue, at East Homer Street, in Bay View.

The bar where Annie and Officer Rhodes go for a drink after her disastrous trip to Las Vegas is also located in Milwaukee. The exterior of the bar, Norman One Step, can be found at 3218 West Cameron Street, at North 32nd Street, near Lincoln Park. However, it's important to note that the interior scenes of the bar were filmed at the Redwood Bar & Grill in Los Angeles.

These locations contribute to the depiction of Annie's life in Milwaukee, showcasing her work, home, and social environments.

The wedding is held in Arcadia

The wedding is held at the Los Angeles County Arboretum, 301 North Baldwin Avenue, in Arcadia. This botanical garden is a popular filming location, having stood in for tropical jungles in Tarzan films, TV's Fantasy Island, Marathon Man, and Anaconda. Its lush foliage makes it an ideal backdrop for Lillian and Dougie's wedding in Bridesmaids.

The decision to film the wedding at the Arboretum was made by production designer Jefferson Sage, who has worked with producer Judd Apatow and director Paul Feig since their Freaks and Geeks days. Sage was drawn to the dichotomy between Annie's world in Milwaukee and Helen's world in Chicago and sought to find locations that reflected this contrast. The Arboretum's tropical foliage and lush gardens captured the elegance and sophistication of Helen's world, providing a picturesque setting for the wedding.

While the wedding was filmed in Arcadia, most of the film's production took place in Los Angeles, California, with only a few days spent in Milwaukee and Chicago for establishing shots. The Arboretum's ability to double as a tropical location also aligned with the film's need to represent the Midwest without actually filming there extensively.

The Arboretum's reflecting pool served as the wedding venue, with the surrounding gardens and foliage enhancing the atmosphere. The production design team likely utilised the natural beauty of the location, adding their own decorative touches to create a wedding worthy of Helen's event planning skills.

The choice to hold the wedding at the Arboretum contributed to the film's success, with Bridesmaids receiving positive reviews and nominations for several awards, including two Academy Award nominations. The film's ability to blend genuine characters, gross-out gags, and pathos, set against visually appealing locations, captivated audiences and solidified its place in cinematic history.

The bridal shower is held in Pasadena

The bridal shower in Bridesmaids is held at the home of Helen Harris, the glamorous nemesis of the film's protagonist, Annie Walker. The address of the Harris estate is 380 South San Rafael Avenue, Pasadena, California.

Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, located around 10 miles northeast of downtown Los Angeles. Known for its warm, sunny climate and lush natural surroundings, Pasadena is often referred to as the "City of Roses". The city has a rich cultural and architectural heritage, boasting a diverse range of architectural styles, including historic Craftsman bungalows and grand Victorian mansions.

The choice of Pasadena as the location for the bridal shower reflects Helen's wealth and sophisticated taste. The Harris estate, with its palatial grounds and elegant architecture, serves as a striking backdrop for this pivotal scene in the film.

The bridal shower itself is Parisian-themed, an idea originally suggested by Annie for the bridal shower, which is eventually planned by Helen. The theme adds a touch of European elegance to the event, with intricate decor and intricate details. However, the shower ends in disaster when Annie, feeling upstaged by Helen, flies into a rage, berating Helen and the bride-to-be, Lillian, and ultimately destroying the decor. This scene highlights the tension and rivalry between Annie and Helen, as they compete for Lillian's friendship and attention in the lead-up to her wedding.

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