Steve Martin and Diane Keaton play the picture-perfect parents who live in an idyllic neighborhood in a storybook house in the original film and its sequel, Father of the Bride Part II. Today the house is owned by Darrell and Sarah Spence. When they decided to move further south, they told their real estate agent that they were interested in a traditional home just like the one in the movie. After months of trying to find a place that would fulfill the Spences' dream, the actual house came up for sale and they were able to buy it.In the case of Father of the Bride, it was easier to cast the actors in the film than the location itself as over 200 homes were considered. The production designer and director were looking for a home with a very distinctive personality--it had to radiate the warmth of the relationship between the father and daughter in the story. What went into making this particular house a fantasy set in stucco and brick? Basically, it was a whole facelift of the front yard--sculpted plants, new brick walkways and a new coat of paint after it was sandblasted.
While the front of the house was to be the perfect exterior, the production designers had their hands full creating the interiors for the film. It was all set up so they could remove a wall or a section of the stairway in case a camera needed to come in closer to the actors. This has led to a series of mishaps for the Spences and they've had to do a lot of work on the inside plus reconstruct what turned out to be flimsy exterior props such as a hollow column and the quintessential picket fence. They held their own wedding at the house in 2000 and could follow the movie's plot if their own daughter, Devon, decides to marry here as well.
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