Aahana Swrup
Directed by Tyler Perry, ‘Madea’s Destination Wedding’ is a chaos-filled comedy that thrives in the collective pandemonium of a lively ensemble of characters. The thirteenth installment in the overarching Madea cinematic universe, this Netflix film finds the Simmons family strapped in for an unexpected adventure. As it turns out, Brian’s daughter, Tiffany, has decided to have a shotgun wedding with her boyfriend, Zavier, after only a three-month-old relationship. Naturally, her father isn’t pleased at the news, yet entirely unable to change her mind, especially since she has her mother, Debrah’s, full support. Worse yet, his ex-wife seems intent on undermining his authority, which compels him to splurge on the festivities with an all-expense-paid vacation to The Bahamas. Nonetheless, as the bride’s lucky day creeps closer, Brian and his family, especially Aunt Madea, grow more and more suspicious about the legitimacy of her engagement to the failing artist. SPOILERS AHEAD!
Madea’s Destination Wedding Plot Synopsis
Mabel “Madea” Simmons remains as chaotic as ever, starting off the story with an exhilarating grocery run that somehow ends with her setting fire to a group of car thieves. On the other hand, her nephew, Brian, has a considerably worse time at a fancy restaurant with his ex-wife, Debrah. The DA knows these kinds of meetings are never easy, especially now that the latter has married a considerably wealthy man and has been attempting to weasel her way back into her kids’ good graces. Still, it’s a surprise when Tiffany shows up at the dinner with a boyfriend in tow. Apparently, the young man has met every other family member except Brian on the kids’ exotic vacation with their mother. In fact, the reason Debrah called her ex for dinner is to share a rather abrupt announcement with him.
As it turns out, Zavier is planning on asking for Tiffany’s hand in marriage, a prospect the latter couldn’t be more excited about. Yet, when the duo asks Brian for his blessing, the father can do little else but make a quick, inellegant exit. Later, he finds himself contemplating the turn of events at his aunt Madea’s and uncle Joe’s front porch. The elderly siblings are amused to see their nephew’s predicament, yet advise them against playing a strict father as it would only encourage Tiffany to rebel. Eventually, they come to the decision to invite the fiancé over for a dinner with the extended family, perhaps in the hope of scaring him away. Still, all the visit does is reinforce the family’s negative perception of Zavier, a young artist who has an inherently rude and disrespectful disposition. Additionally, when the happy couple invites the family to their wedding, they can’t help but wonder why they’re so eager to tie the knot so quickly.
Meanwhile, when Debrah continues to undermine Brian by offering to pay for the lavish destination wedding, the latter talks himself into shouldering the bulk of the bills. Yet, while Madea and the others get their passports in order, the father of the bride pulls some strings to run background checks on Zavier. Nonetheless, nothing incriminating comes up for the young man by the time he arrives to travel to the Bahamas. Once at the luxurious hotel, it becomes quickly evident that Debrah’s choice is firmly beyond Brian’s budget. Still, unwilling to let be bested by his ex, he decides to get every family member a room, connected to his debit card. Naturally, this leads everyone to take full advantage of the amenities, sending all expenses to their room’s cards. Amidst these shenanigans, Madea makes an intriguing connection: despite it being Tiffany’s big day, none of her friends are around. Worse yet, when asked about the same, the young woman simply parrots back her mother’s words of wanting to marry Zavier as soon as possible. Thus, the mystery around the real motivation behind the wedding becomes all the more intriguing.
Madea’s Destination Wedding Ending: Why is Tiffany Marrying Zavier?
Tiffany and Zavier’s relationship remains suspicious from the get-go. The duo has been dating for no more than three months, and the first time that the latter meets his girlfriend’s father is to ask for his daughter’s hand. Their engagement period, much like their relationship, also remains short-lived as the couple sets a date for their wedding in less than a week. Lastly, Debrah’s overjoyed enthusiasm for their relationship also raises several red flags. The mother may have been starting to carve a pleasant place in her kids’ lives in the past few years. Nevertheless, she has a less-than-flattering track record as a mother, evidenced by the fact that Brian has sole custody of Tiffany and BJ. Therefore, the entire ordeal receives more than one raised brow.
Fortunately, the night before the wedding, Madea manages to come across some crucial evidence. As it turns out, Debrah’s rich husband, Dennis, is also staying at the same luxury hotel. While he’s at the casino, Brian’s aunt manages to eavesdrop on his phone conversation with his wife, whom he is apparently planning on divorcing. Yet, in light of the split, he has decided to leave some substantial money for his stepkids, Tiffany and BJ, setting them up with a million-dollar fund each. Yet, this money can only be accessed once BJ goes off to college and after Tiffany gets married. Thus, Madea realizes that all this time, Debrah has been manipulating her daughter into getting married for the benefit of her million-dollar fund. Simultaneously, in another part of the hotel, Brian stumbles across Zavier, who seems to be having an intense argument with a woman during his bachelor party.
Is Zavier Cheatin on Tiffany? Do They Get Married?
The discoveries about Dennis’ million-dollar fund and Brian’s apparent relationship with another woman arrive at an incredibly coincidental moment. Therefore, they culminate in a big family confrontation, during which Tiffany is exposed to the polarizing revelations all at once. Firstly, she believes that her fiancé has been cheating on her this entire time, proving to her that he never took their relationship seriously. On the other hand, she faces another betrayal, this one from her mother. Debrah’s decision to keep her daughter in the dark about her own trust fund reeks of dishonesty and bad intentions. Thus, Tiffany can’t help but believe that she was being played on both fronts. Consequently, she decides to call off the wedding, refusing to give anyone a chance to explain.
Nevertheless, it isn’t until later, when Brian pays Zavier a visit in his room, that he finally begins to see that he has been wrong about the young artist from the start. Apparently, the woman everyone had mistaken for his mistress is actually his mother. Zavier has a bad relationship with his mother, who was never around for him in his childhood. Thus, with no proper parental figures in his life, he turned toward some dark roads which led them to bleak, low moments in his life. For the same reason, now that he has turned things around for himself, partly in thanks to Tiffany, he has no interest in sustaining any ties with his mother. The young man holds much anger and embarrassment towards his mother and wants her to play no part in his special day. Even so, the older man had strong-armed her way into insisting she should attend his wedding, which is why the duo were previously engaged in an argument.
However, Brian simply lets his prejudices take hold and evaluates the scene on a surface level, concluding that his daughter’s rougish boyfriend must be cheating on her. Zavier has a part to play in the downfall as well, since he has consistently refused to treat his future father-in-law with the due respect. He fails to see the importance of the older man’s protective feelings toward Tiffany, insisting that he is not answerable to anyone. Yet, once the two consider the other’s perspective, they finally meet in the middle. Zavier reveals that despite his ugly past, which was really just a result of his circumstances, he has been working towards a brighter future. Furthermore, he assures the father that he truly loves his daughter with all his heart. Once Tiffany overhears this declaration of love, she inevitably welcomes her fiancé with open arms. Ultimately, the duo decides to go through with their wedding, now that the trust between them has been restored.
Why Did Debrah Really Want Tiffany to Get Married?
By the end of the film, Debrah has a lot to make up for, especially in her relationship with Tiffany. The mother already has a sour past with her kids. Early on in her marriage with Brian, her substance abuse issues caught up to her to the point where she could no longer be a proper caregiver to her kids. For the same reason, she loses custody of both Tiffany and BJ. It isn’t until she marries Dennis and begins living a lavish life that she makes a significant return to her kids’ lives. However, she can only express her regret and her affection through the affluent lifestyle that her husband’s money affords her. For the same reason, when she realizes her marriage is headed toward a divorce that will leave her penniless, she grows fearful of her presence in Tiffany and BJ’s lives.
Thus, Debrah decides to push her daughter toward marrying her boyfriend, to ensure that she can have access to her trust fund as soon as possible. The mother views this act of deceit as the last good thing she can do for her children to make up for the sins of her past. Nonetheless, she fails to realize that the only thing her kids hold her accountable for is her inability to be present for them in their early lives. As such, her manipulative ways only further prove that she cannot be trusted. Still, while Tiffany holds onto her anger, Madea decides to invite Debrah to the young couple’s wedding to ensure she doesn’t lose out on her daughter’s important day.
Who Pays the Bill For the Wedding?
Ever since Tiffany first announced her plans for a Bahamas destination wedding, one prominent complication hangs heavy in the air. Who will be paying for the wedding? As per tradition, it should be Brian, the father, who pays for the entire celebration. Nonetheless, thanks to Debrah’s bougie lifestyle, Tiffany’s plans come with a hefty bill. Additionally, once the Simmons family arrives at the luxury hotel, all of them are quick to indulge in the opulent amenities. Joe blows through thousands of dollars at the casino and keeps the reality of his lucky winnings to himself. Madea, Bam, and Cora go on various expensive shopping sprees, buying items in bulk.
Even young BJ and Uncle Brown leave no stone unturned when it comes to enjoying the hotel’s poolside activities. Consequently, by the end of the weekend, Brian is left with such a hefty bill that it makes him pass out right in the hotel lobby. While Zavier and Tiffany are concerned for him, everyone else swiftly takes their exit, making it clear that they have no intention of helping out with the bill. Likewise, given Debrah’s looming divorce, it’s hard to imagine that she would be contributing significantly. Thus, it seems it’s ultimately up to the father to eat the expenses in one way or another. Alternatively, it’s possible that the newlyweds, who have also recently come into possession of a million dollars, would extend a helping hand.
Read More: Where Was Madea’s Destination Wedding Filmed? All Shooting Locations
