For several years after its release, this movie was the highest-grossing British movie in history, with worldwide box office in excess of $260 million.
Andie MacDowell waived a fee for appearing in this movie, taking percentage points instead. This netted her an eventual $2 million, compared with Hugh Grant's salary of $100,000.
Backstories were given in a deleted scene. Charles (Hugh Grant), Matthew (John Hannah), and Fiona (Dame Kristin Scott Thomas) were at university together, and Gareth (Simon Callow) was a lecturer. Scarlett (Charlotte Coleman) was found under Charles' kitchen table after a party and has lived there ever since.
Inspiration for this movie came when co-executive producer and writer Richard Curtis was flipping through some old diaries and realized that he had been to seventy-two weddings in ten years.