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Runaway Bride movie cover Movie Locations Guide

Where was Runaway Bride filmed?

1999

City Locations

Berlin and Glen Arm, MD

Location Types

Schools/Colleges, Apartment, House, Retail, Church/Temple

Location Styles

Craftsman, Modern Building, Modern Car, Office Building Style, School

About Runaway Bride

Directed by Garry Marshall, Runaway Bride is a 1999 romantic comedy that features Julia Roberts and Richard Gere in the lead roles. The movie's screenplay, penned by Sara Parriott and Josann McGibbon, follows the story of a reporter (played by Gere) who sets out to write an article about a woman (played by Roberts) notorious for leaving multiple fiancés at the altar.

It is the second film to feature Gere and Roberts as co-stars, following their successful collaboration in Pretty Woman (1990). Despite receiving mostly negative reviews from critics, the movie was a commercial triumph, earning $309 million worldwide.

The movie underwent an extended development process, spanning over ten years. Several actors were associated with the project at different stages, including Mary Steenburgen, Anjelica Huston, Lorraine Bracco, Demi Moore, Geena Davis, Ellen DeGeneres, Sandra Bullock, and Téa Leoni, as well as Harrison Ford, Christopher Walken, Mel Gibson, Ben Affleck, and Michael Douglas. Several references to Roberts and Gere's prior collaboration in Pretty Woman were made throughout the film. These callbacks included a reworking of the scene where Roberts' character is prevented from buying clothes.

According to Rotten Tomatoes, Runaway Bride has received an approval rating of 46% based on 87 reviews, with an average rating of 5.31 out of 10. According to the website's critical consensus, the story is predictable and the on-screen connection between Julia Roberts and Richard Gere falls short. While 33 critics on Metacritic gave the film a score of 39 out of 100, meaning they generally did not like it, CinemaScore polls audiences directly and found that the movie was given an overall grade of A- on a scale from A+ to F.

Runaway Bride Locations

The majority of the movie scenes in Runaway Bride were shot in and around Berlin, Maryland—a quaint town that was made over to become Hale, Maryland. While some of Main Street's business names were changed during production, certain landmarks such as the Atlantic Hotel remained virtually untouched.

Berlin is located in Worcester County, Maryland, and is known for its beautiful backdrop of rolling hills and rich forests. It's also home to many historical sites such as the Calvin B. Taylor House Museum, Rural Life Museum, and St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, all of which feature prominently in the film. Other areas used for filming include Salisbury University and Wicomico Youth & Civic Center in Salisbury, as well as Snow Hill Manor Bed & Breakfast in Snow Hill.

A trip to these locations would be an amazing experience for any fan of Runaway Bride. With beautiful natural scenery and numerous historical landmarks on offer, it really does capture the quaint charm of small-town America.

Maggie riding a horse scene in Runaway Bride

7406 Libertytown Rd, Berlin, MD 21811, United States

Maggie Carpenter (Julia Roberts) is a young and lively woman who has experienced multiple unsuccessful romantic relationships. Maggie has left a trail of fiancés waiting for her at the altar on their wedding day due to her nervousness about getting married.

The iconic horse scene was filmed at a horse boarding farm on Libertytown Road. Black Acre Farms Inc. is a family-owned and operated farm. The farm's 200 acres of land are used to cultivate a variety of crops, including sweet corn, watermelon, pumpkins, cantaloupes, and strawberries. Black Acre Farms also grows a range of vegetables, such as kale, broccoli, squash, and lettuce. All of the produce is grown using sustainable farming practices, with a focus on minimizing the use of chemicals and promoting biodiversity. They also offer educational tours and field trips for schools and community groups, allowing visitors to learn more about sustainable agriculture and the importance of supporting local farms.

If you're planning a trip to 7406 Libertytown Road in Berlin, you can find your destination about seven miles southwest of the Berlin town center.

Maggie reads the newspaper scene in Runaway Bride

106 N Main St, Berlin, MD 21811, USA

In one scene, we see Maggie at her father's hardware shop. She works there as a sales manager and she is a master of her craft: she is sweet and polite with customers and knows every detail about every supply. Her friends come to the shop to show her an article in the newspaper about her. This article gives Maggie tabloid fame and the dubious nickname "The Runaway Bride."

The setting for this scene is located at 106 N Main Street in Berlin, and today is home to a jewelry manufacturer. It’s easy to find right in the heart of town, and you’ll find plenty of familiar locations from the movie nearby.

Maggie goes to church scene in Runaway Bride

Waugh United Methodist Church, 11453 Long Green Pike, Glen Arm, MD 21057, United States

Maggie gets frustrated as Ike visits her friends, family, and ex-fiancés around town. She goes to church to confess about her thoughts with Father Brian (Donal Logue), who was her first groom. Maggie tells that she wants to destroy Ike's career and she is afraid of such thoughts. She warns Brian that the journalist may come to him and ask stupid questions about her. Brian says that he's already spoken with Ike about Maggie.

This scene was filmed at Waugh United Methodist Church in Glen Arm, MD. It’s found a little over a mile south of the Glen Arm town center, and just over 20 miles drive northeast from Baltimore.

Maggie and Ike going to bridal shop scene in Runaway Bride

Victorian Charm, 100 N Main St, Berlin, MD 21811, United States

Ike is given a chance by Maggie to spend time with her in order to prove that she is not a bad person and that she and Bob (Christopher Meloni) can indeed make their relationship work. As Ike and Maggie spend more time together, their relationship grows stronger. When they walk through Main Street, Maggie decides to choose a beautiful wedding dress at a local bridal shop.

The gift shop Victorian Charm, located at 100 N Main Street in Berlin, was featured as a bridal store in certain scenes. Victorian Charm offers a wide variety of unique and charming products, and the warm and inviting atmosphere of the shop is a nod to the Victorian era. With its prime location on Main Street, it's hard to miss this shop that evokes the nostalgia of a bygone era.

Maggie visits Ike scene in Runaway Bride

275 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024, USA

After Ike returns to New York, Maggie embarks on a journey of self-discovery. One evening, Maggie unexpectedly shows up at Ike's apartment, where she befriends his cat, Italics. In a heartfelt conversation, Maggie reveals that she has been running away from her previous engagements as her partners were only interested in the image of her they had created in their minds, rather than the real her. However, with Ike, she ran away because while he understood her completely, she was still struggling to understand herself.

This scene was filmed at 275 Central Park West, a striking building located on the Upper West Side of New York City. This pre-war co-op building boasts impressive architecture and offers stunning views of Central Park. The lobby of the building features high ceilings, intricate molding, and a beautiful marble staircase. Inside the apartments, residents can enjoy spacious layouts and elegant finishes.

If you're looking to get to 275 Central Park West in New York City, there are several options available to you. Depending on your starting location and mode of transportation, you may choose to take a taxi or ride-share service, use public transportation, or drive and park in the nearby neighborhood. The building is conveniently located near multiple subway lines and bus stops, making it easily accessible for those using the city's public transit system. Additionally, if you choose to drive to 275 Central Park West, be aware that parking can be limited and expensive in this area. But with a little planning and research, getting to this landmark location should be a breeze.

Conclusion

The movie Runaway Bride was an instant hit, due in part to its stunning locations. Much of the movie was filmed in historic Berlin, Maryland, with some other scenes taking place around the state. Viewers were treated to a variety of backdrops for the characters’ adventures, while many of the locations featured were left nearly as-is during production.

So if you’re a fan of Runaway Bride, if you love the chemistry between Roberts and Gere, or if you just adore the small-town charm on display in the film, it’s well worth taking a trip to Maryland to explore these Runaway Bride filming locations.