Young Muriel (Toni Collette) feels unloved and unappreciated in her suburban home, and sets out for Sydney, where she hopes to fulfill her dream of a traditional white wedding. Armed only with her Abba dance routines and an eagerness to please, she stumbles into an arranged marriage with a hunky South African swimmer. However, her dreams of marriage are soon tested by her best friend Rhonda (Rachel Griffiths) falling seriously ill.