Naman Shrestha
With Stacey N. Harding at the helm, Hallmark’s ‘To Have and To Holiday’ is a Christmas-themed romantic movie that follows Celeste, a young woman who says yes to her boyfriend Jason when he pops the question after a few months of being together. While the couple is excited to take the next step in their relationship and spend the rest of their lives together, Celeste’s father, Mark, believes that it might be a decision made rather hastily. Thus, when she asks him to officiate their Christmas wedding, he decides to put their relationship to the test by making them participate in a pre-wedding “boot camp.”
As Celeste and Jason go through different kinds of Christmas-themed challenges, their strength as a couple becomes all the more evident in the eyes of Pastor Mark. While Mark begins to accept their relationship, Celeste is inclined to make a career in the fashion industry. Given the celebratory mood due to Christmas and the wedding, the setting of the story is all the more joyous and happening.
Where Was To Have and To Holiday Filmed?
The production of ‘To Have and To Holiday’ reportedly took place in its entirety in Nova Scotia, especially Chester. The principal photography for the rom-com was carried out over the course of a few weeks in the spring of 2024, between April and early May of the same year. All the cast and crew members seemingly had a wonderful time on set, taking back a bunch of pleasant memories with them. Robert Bazzocchi took to social media to share his experience. “I genuinely had the best experience filming this movie, led by the remarkably talented @stacey.harding, and working with a lovely cast that became my family for three weeks. Also a big shoutout to the funniest EPs I’ve ever worked with @kevindudagram and Borga Dorter— thanks for not firing me every day,” he wrote.
Chester, Nova Scotia
All the pivotal sequences of ‘To Have and To Holiday’ were lensed in the village of Chester, which was situated on the Chester Peninsula, Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia. One of the major filming sites utilized by the production team is Saint Stephen’s Church at 60 Regent Street. Constructed in 1840, the historic church consists of a blend of Greek and Gothic Revival architecture, making it a visually aesthetic backdrop for a Christmas-themed production.
During the shooting schedule, the cast and crew members were spotted taping several key portions across the village. For instance, as per reports, they took over Queen and Pleasant Streets as well as Pleasant and Price Streets between Central and Union Streets. Since Chester oozes a warm and welcoming charm, it makes for a suitable production location for a film like ‘To Have and To Holiday.’ Besides the Hallmark movie, Chester has hosted the production of ‘The Healer,’ ‘A Town Without Christmas,’ ‘Christmas with Holly,’ and ‘Catch a Falling Star.’
To Have and To Holiday Cast
‘Devil in Ohio’ fame Madeleine Arthur essays the role of Celeste in the Hallmark production. Given her versatile acting talent, she has been a part of several renowned movies, including the teenage romance trilogy — ‘To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before,’ ‘To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You,’ and ‘To All the Boys: Always and Forever.’ Her other TV credits include ‘Guilty Party,’ ‘Snowpiercer,’ ‘Funny or Die,’ ‘Legends of Tomorrow,’ ‘The Tomorrow People,’ and more. The talented Italian-Canadian actor Robert Bazzocchi dons the garb of Jason, the fiancé of Celeste.
After graduating with a degree in Robotics Engineering, Robert found his calling and pursued a career in acting. You might recognize him from several other TV shows, such as ‘Ruby and the Well,’ ‘Bria Mack Gets a Life,’ ‘Gen V,’ ‘Backstage,’ ‘Macy Murdoch,’ and ‘October Faction.’ Portraying Celeste’s father, Pastor Mike’ is the experienced and prolific Eric Close. His face might seem familiar as he stars in ‘Legal Action,’ ‘Christmas at Graceland,’ ‘Christmas at Graceland: Home for the Holidays,’ ‘Indivisible,’ ‘Nashville,’ and ‘American Horror Story.’ Other talented actors who feature in supporting roles include Karn Kalra as Pastor Dean, Richard Jutras as Robert Arrington, and Kate Drummond.
Read More: Hallmark’s Christmas on Call: Filming Locations and Cast Details
