Florida Native Erin Krakow Talks New Hallmark Movie, “The Wedding Cottage”

Plus, she talks about what she misses about the South and her brand new rescue pup, Willoughby.

Between the Christmas movies we look forward to all year, several non-holiday rom-coms for the network, and of course nine seasons of When Calls the Heart, with a tenth season coming this summer, Florida native Erin Krakow has long been a mainstay on our television screens on the leading network of all things feel-good, Hallmark Channel. She’s back this spring with a brand new movie, The Wedding Cottage as a part of the network’s Spring Into Love lineup.

Krakow plays Vanessa Doyle who is promoting her new book, Tying the Knot – A Wedding Guide by holding a contest for one lucky couple to have an all-expenses paid wedding at the destination of their choice from the guide book. The winning pair tell Vanessa that they have to get married in a hurry as the groom is in the military and being deployed soon. They have chosen The Wedding Cottage as their venue which leaves Vanessa scrambling after she learns that this venue has been closed for years and is in a state of disrepair. Enter Evan Sutherland, played by Brendan Penny, who at first appears standoffish, maybe even a tad bit of a curmudgeon. Evan is an artist and he has inherited the cottage from his grandmother and is temporarily living in it hoping that the change of scenery from the city will inspire him to create new work. Despite his resistance to reopen the cottage as a wedding venue, Vanessa manages to convince him and the two end up working together to pull off this dream wedding for the deserving couple in just 5 short weeks. And well of course, sparks fly.

If you have taken a gander at any of Krakow’s social media posts leading up to the premiere of this movie, you’ll see that she and the rest of the cast had a ball creating this lovely romantic comedy. “We had a lot of fun. It was so, so much fun. There was a lot of laughter. Just the other day, as we’re getting closer to the premiere, I was looking back in my phone creating an album of The Wedding Cottage photos and videos and I don’t know that any of them are good, natural, or posed smiling photos. We would try to make a video to say watch the movie or whatever and we would just lose it. Laughing so hard we’re crying. So it’s not an exaggeration when I say we had the greatest time. We really did,” Krakow told Southern Living.

Krakow added that while she and the cast and crew are used to the fast pace in which Hallmark productions move, it was still hard to say goodbye at the end of this particular production. “When the 3 weeks ended, you know usually people are kind of tired because we squeeze in a lot in 3 weeks of production but there was really a sense of sadness and disappointment that this project was ending. I had crew members coming up to me saying, ‘I wish this was a series,’ ‘I wish we could keep going’ because there was just such a great vibe on set. So know that when you’re watching that it was a really good time for everyone making it.”

Krakow has had a busy year. Not only did she film The Wedding Cottage, but season ten of When Calls the Heart will premiere July 30. “I am particularly excited about this one. Oh man, it’s tough to talk about without giving anything away. But it’s going to be a good one. And of course we’re thrilled and so grateful to Hallmark that they’ve picked us up for season eleven so work really has already begun on that,” she told us. But Krakow has also had an eventful 2023 off screen. She adopted a precious puppy, Willoughby from Tobie’s Small Dog Rescue in Los Angeles. “Willoughby is such a sweet little handful. He’s such a cuddly old man. He never wants to leave my side. He’s total velcro. And I know it’s probably not a good thing but I say it with pride because I love having him around.”

And while Krakow does call California home now, her heart is still in the South. The actress grew up in Wellington, Florida, just west of West Palm Beach.  “I really miss my family. It’s hard to be so far away from them. I wish that the travel was a little bit easier. But we see each other as often as we can. Where I grew up, I really miss the beaches there. They’re so good. I mean I really love going to the beach, bringing a book, and just taking a nap in the sand and listening to the ocean. It is one of the most peaceful places for me and I miss that.” She may have west coast beaches just outside her door now, but we all know that nothing compares to Florida’s beautiful shorelines. 

Florida isn’t the only Southern state where Krakow has spent an extensive amount of time. She spent several seasons working on location in Charleston, South Carolina, for the television show Army Wives. “Charleston was a really special time for me when I was working there. It was a great new chapter in my career and it’s a beautiful city with great, great people who are so welcoming and kind. And the food was like nothing else. So rich and decadent and just delicious. You couldn’t go wrong in that city. “ While she hasn't returned to The Holy City yet, she definitely plans on it and can't wait to once again stroll down King Street.

Be sure to tune into Krakow's newest movie, The Wedding Cottage, premiering on Hallmark on April 15.

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Read the original article on Southern Living.