Ike Graham (Richard Gere), a New York newspaper columnist learns about a young woman in rural Maryland named Maggie (Julia Roberts) who, apparently, loves being engaged, but who has very cold feet about getting married. Intrigued, Ike composes a column about Maggie, beginning a chain of events which leads him to her hometown to confront the Runaway Bride.

Furious with the column and its author, Maggie plans to even the score with him — even as she is planning her fourth wedding. As Maggie exacts her revenge against Ike, and while he infuriates her by ingratiating himself to her friends and family, the two begin to learn more about each other and about themselves.