Filming In Scotland

From the very beginning, says producer Neal H. Moritz, the filmmakers intended to film the climax of Made of Honor in Scotland, where it is set. "There is simply no way that you could build sets or find locations to match the reality of where we filmed on location," he says. "Being in that beautiful environment tremendously helps the movie and also lets the characters really embrace who they are and what they're supposed to be doing. It lends an air of credibility to it -- and it makes the magic happen."

"Scotland definitely becomes a character in the movie," says Patrick Dempsey. "You can feel the difference when you're there. The water, the countryside -- it's so beautiful and doesn't look like anywhere else. And the local people were great -- I couldn't understand a word they said, but they're very, very sweet."

The company filmed at Dunvegan Castle on the Isle of Skye for five days. Though there are only at most 12,000 people on Skye at any one time, the Made of Honor production rolled in with a crew of 250, a cast of 25, and 300 extras. "We were split up between over 50 different hotels and bed-and-breakfasts and inns. It was a staggering feat to pull off," says executive producer Callum Greene.

Dunvegan Castle, a fortress stronghold in an idyllic loch-side setting, is said to be the oldest inhabited castle in northern Scotland and has been occupied continuously by the chiefs of MacLeod for over seven centuries. It is still the MacLeod ancestral home. It was on the extensive grounds of the castle that the Highland Games as well as a touching scene between Hannah and Tom were filmed.

Paul Weiland recalls, "You look behind you across the field at Dunvegan Castle and it's like a fantasy, it's a feast for your eyes. For me, the visual effect of the film needs to be part of the whole package. I think that many romantic comedies are filmed in a flat way that is boring. I wanted this to be textural. I wanted to create a world that everyone who saw it would think, 'I wouldn't mind living there.'"

Kevin McKidd, who was raised on the eastern side of Scotland, was happy to have an opportunity to work in the land of his birth. "When the sun shines in Scotland, it's the most beautiful place in the world," he remarks. "I think it's great to show the audience that Scotland really is a romantic and magical country. You couldn't cheat this anywhere else in the world."

While on Skye, the company encountered a minor miracle. With huge exterior locations to be shot with hundreds of extras, there was not a drop of rain to be seen -- despite shooting in an area that sees 60 to 80 inches of rain every year. None of the local citizens could believe it. And while it was dry on Skye, it was pouring and flooding across the border in England.

As for the Highland Games sequence, Moritz says, "It's a Scottish tradition that when somebody is going off to be married, the groom has to win the Highland Games to earn the right to marry the bride. Tom is trying to prove his worth participating in games that no American man has ever done before, like the Caber toss and Braemar Stone throw, as well as a very mean tug-of-war."

"I wanted to give the scene a real flavor," says Weiland. "The Highland Games are supposed to be fun, with everyone dressed up in kilts and Renaissance costumes, but Tom takes it very seriously, believing that if he can beat Colin at some of the events and come out the victor of the games, he will have an opportunity to win Hannah. Of course, things don't quite turn out that way for him."

While shooting on Skye, the production also filmed on the tiny Glenachulish ferry that traverses the Sound of Sleat, connecting Kylerhea to Glenelg. The ferry is the earliest recorded service in Skye's history, dating back at least to 1695.

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