Mother of the Bride ending explained: do Lana and Will reunite?

Lana and Will look at each other on the beach in Thailand.
Mother of the Bride ending explained: do Lana and Will reunite? (Image credit: Sasidis Sasisakulporn/Netflix)

Mother of the Bride follows Dr Lana Winslow (Brooke Shields), who is stunned when her daughter Emma (Miranda Cosgrove) drops the bombshell that she's getting married in Thailand next month. But the doting mother is in for another shock when she discovers that the groom's father is her ex-boyfriend who broke her heart 30 years ago.

Just minutes after the glamorous proposal, Emma begins to worry about how she will announce her engagement to her widowed mom Lana, who doesn't even know that Emma has a boyfriend.

Emma, who has been doing an internship for Discovery Resorts in London, surprises Lana at her research lab in San Francisco. Lana is bombarded with an array of surprises as not only does her daughter have a future husband, she also has a new career as a professional social media influencer.

On top of that, Emma's first job as a brand ambassador is her own destination wedding at a luxury resort in Phuket, Thailand next month.

Despite feeling abandoned that Emma never included her in the wedding planning, Lana goes to Phuket to meet Emma's mystery fiancé RJ (Sean Tele) and reunites with her friend Janice (Rachael Harris). 

The surprises don't stop there as Lana’s married college friends Clay (Michael McDonald) and Scott (Wilson Cruz) arrive, along with wealthy and handsome Will Jackson (Benjamin Bratt). Lana is bowled over to be reunited with Will, the love of her life who abandoned her 30 years ago without an explanation.

Miranda Cosgrove as Emma and Brooke Shields as Lana smiling in Mother of the Bride

Lana is stunned when her daughter Emma reveals she is getting married. (Image credit: Sasidis Sasisakulporn/Netflix)

Will is RJ's single dad and it's clear that he still has romantic feelings for Lana. But filled with pent-up resentment over his past actions, the pair constantly try to one-up each other for their kids' affections and are fiercely competitive.

At one point, Lana's bitterness towards Will gets the better of her and she accidentally injures him during a game of pickleball.

However, another heartthrob soon emerges in the form of hunky young doctor Lucas (Chad Michael Murray) who takes a shine to Lana and she agrees to go on a date with him to cover up her feelings for Will.

As Lana and her old college buddies hang out together in the resort, her chemistry with Will is undeniable as they dance together during a wedding rehearsal and end up going skinny dipping on the beach.

But when Lana has a fight with Emma over her outlandish wedding day plans, Will takes Lana to a picturesque spot by the coast where he makes it clear that he still has feelings for her.

Disaster strikes when the battery dies on the jeep and they have no way of getting back to the resort, but it soon becomes a blessing in disguise as the former lovers head to the beach in Lover's Cove to try and flag down a boat.

The cast of Netflix's Mother of the Bride

Lana accidentally hits Will during a game of pickleball. (Image credit: Netflix)

Their conversation soon turns to their failed romance and Lana is overcome with emotion as she voices her heartbreak about how he left her.

Will admits that he felt he was dragging Lana down as he was so lost in life and tells her that he needed to figure out who he was to feel worthy of her. He even confesses that he came back for Lana and showed up to her lab, but she had already left for her honeymoon.

Will went back to Hartford, where he met RJ's mother and married her, but the marriage didn't last as he was still in love with Lana.

He begs Lana for a second chance and just as they are about to kiss, they are interrupted by hotel worker Harley (Dalip Sondhi) who has come to rescue them.

The couple are on cloud nine as they are taken back to the resort, where Lucas has been waiting for Lana to arrive for their dinner date. Lucas soon catches wind of Lana and Will's romance and is a good sport about it, telling her to give him a call if things don't work out.

But as the wedding gets into full swing, Lana and Will's romance hits another roadblock which threatens to destroy all their progress.

So, do Lana and Will reunite? Here's what happens at the end of Mother of the Bride...

Mother of the Bride ending explained: do Lana and Will reunite?

When Lana overhears Will having a secret phone call with a woman called Katrina, saying how he can't live without her, she feels betrayed all over again and goes out of her way to avoid him throughout the celebration.

Just before Emma and RJ prepare to go on their honeymoon, Emma throws her bouquet and Lana dodges it like a bullet.

Desperate to know what's wrong, Will causes a scene in front of everyone at the wedding and demands Lana to tell him what is bothering her.

She confronts him about his "secret girlfriend" Katrina, who is soon revealed to be Will's personal assistant. It turns out that Will flew Katrina out to Phuket to bring a ring for Lana.

Will proposes to Lana and she happily agrees as the wedding party jump into the pool to celebrate.

Mother of the Bride is available to watch on Netflix now.

Grace Morris
Staff Writer

Grace is a digital writer with WhatToWatch.com, where she writes series guides, recaps and features for must-watch shows and delivers all the latest soap news and reactions. She graduated from Anglia Ruskin University in 2020 with a degree in Writing and Film Studies, which only made her love for creative writing, film and TV grow stronger.

You'll usually find her watching the drama unfold in the latest reality series or much-loved UK soaps (usually with chocolate by her side!). She's an expert in EastEnders, Emmerdale, Coronation Street and everything reality-related from Selling Sunset and Married At First Sight UK to 90 Day Fiancé UK. Plus Netflix megahit Virgin River!

Grace also likes to explore new places with her friends and family and, of course, watch and read about the latest films and TV series.