29 of the quirkiest rom-com careers (that aren't architect)

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Trailer editor (The Holiday)

There's plenty to envy in rom-coms: Everyone is good looking, everyone has great clothes, and almost everyone has a cool job. Here are some of our favorites. How did Cameron Diaz's character pay for that swanky L.A. pad? Cutting together movie trailers, and making them all look like hits.

02 of 28

Bakery owner (It's Complicated)

Film Title: It's Complicated — Melinda Sue Gordon/Universal

Nancy Meyers movies always feature iconic kitchens, but Meryl Streep's is a standout (not to mention the kitchen in her gorgeous bakery, where she and Steve Martin make those chocolate croissants...)

03 of 28

**Bookshop owner (You've Got Mail)**

YOU'VE GOT MAIL, Meg Ryan (standing), 1998, speech — Everett Collection

Sure, Kathleen Kelly's business is struggling, but who hasn't fantasized about owning a cozy neighborhood bookstore?

04 of 28

Vows columnist (27 Dresses)

27 Dresses (2007)James Marsden — Barry Wetcher/Twentieth Century Fox

James Marsden plays a cynic who writes newspaper romance—classic rom-com set-up.

05 of 28

**"Coffee Collar" inventor (Made of Honor)**

In case you forgot, Patrick Dempsey's wealthy playboy gets to be a wealthy playboy because he invented the little cardboard that goes around a hot cup of to-go coffee.

06 of 28

**Art restorer (Made of Honor)**

Michelle Monaghan's character has a cool gig restoring old paintings.

07 of 28

Apartment dresser (Leap Year)

Amy Adams in 'Leap Year'. Jonathan Hession/Universal Studios

Amy Adams's rom-com job in the Ireland-set guilty pleasure is setting up houses for real estate agents before their showings to help the properties sell.

08 of 28

Boat salesman (Failure to Launch)

Selling boats to rich people? Alright, alright, alright.

09 of 28

Greeting card writer (500 Days of Summer)

500 Days of Summer (2009)Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon Levitt — Chuck Zlotnick/Fox Searchlight

Sure, Joseph Gordon-Levitt's character is also an architect, but before that, he meets Summer while working at his certifiably quirky greeting card job.

10 of 28

**Sports doctor (Trainwreck)**

Film Title: Trainwreck — Mary Cybulski/Universal Studios

Both professional and also memorable, Bill Hader's character hits the rom-com sweetspot.

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**Playwright (Something's Gotta Give)**

Diane Keaton's job is basically wearing summer linens, but it's also playwright.

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Fashion designer (Sweet Home Alabama)

SWEET HOME ALABAMA, Reese Witherspoon, 2002, (c) Walt Disney/courtesy Everett Collection — Everett Collection

Reese Witherspoon is an-up-and-coming fashion designer, who also gets to be engaged to McDreamy.

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Wedding dress designer (The Parent Trap)

THE PARENT TRAP, Lindsay Lohan, Natasha Richardson, 1998, (c) Walt Disney/courtesy Everett Collectio — Everett Collection

Slightly more specific than just being any tpe of fashion designer, Natasha Richardson played a famous wedding dress designer.

14 of 28

**Vineyard owner (The Parent Trap)**

THE PARENT TRAP, Dennis Quaid, Lindsay Lohan, 1998, (c) Walt Disney/courtesy Everett Collection — Everett Collection

Seems pretty nice to get to ride horses around a giant vineyard estate all day.

15 of 28

Aquarium veternarian (50 First Dates)

"50 First Dates" (2004)(L to R) Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler — Darren Michaels/Columbia Pictures

Adam Sandler got to hang with seals and penguins acting as a character who worked at Sea Life Park in Hawaii.

16 of 28

Television composer (Forgetting Sarah Marshall)

FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL, Jason Segel, Kristen Bell, 2008. ©Universal/courtesy Everett Collection — Everett Collection

Jason Segel's character worked composing the "ominous tones" for his girlfriend's crime television show, but his real passion was vampire puppets.

17 of 28

Voiceover artist (In A World...)

In A World... (2013)Lake Bell — Roadside Attractions

Lake Bell portrayed a character trying to break the glass ceiling in voiceover work.

18 of 28

**Web fashion retailer (The Intern)**

Jules (Anne Hathaway) founded an online startup for selling clothes.

19 of 28

**Author (The Decoy Bride)**

THE DECOY BRIDE, from left: David Tennant, Kelly Macdonald, 2011. ph: Nick Wall/©IFC Films/Courtesy — Everett Collection

David Tennant plays a literary author who wrote a bestselling book about a tiny Scottish island.

20 of 28

eBay store owner (40 Year Old Virgin)

40 Year Old Virgin (2005)CATHERINE KEENER — Suzanne Hanover/Universal Studios

Catherine Keener ran a store to help people sell things on eBay. No, you couldn't just buy the things in the store.

21 of 28

Gossip columnist (Hitch)

Most rom-com heroines have vague jobs in media, but at least Eva Mendes's job has a bit of specificity.

22 of 28

**Personalized letter writer (Her)**

Joaquin Pheonix plays a man who works at a company that uses AI to construct faux-personal notes.

23 of 28

**Brewery employees (Drinking Buddies)**

DRINKING BUDDIES, l-r: Olivia Wilde, Jake Johnson, 2013, ©Magnolia Pictures/courtesy Everett Collect — Everett Collection

Olivia Wilde and Jake Johnson play coworkers who are allowed to drink on the job together.

24 of 28

**Screenwriter (Playing It Cool)**

Playing It Cool (2015)Chris Evans and Michelle Monaghan — Daniel McFadden

In this meta rom-com, Chris Evans plays a screenwriter who dreams of writing action movies.

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**Theater director (The Incredible Jessica James)**

When she's not a waitress, Jessica (Jessica Williams) works at a children's theater workshop.

26 of 28

YouTube comedian (Mr. Roosevelt)

In her indie comedy, Noel Wells plays a character who's trying to make it as a comedian, one YouTube subscriber at a time.

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Political staffer (Definitely, Maybe)

Film Title: Definitely, Maybe — Andrew Schwartz/Universal Studios

Ryan Reynolds's character worked on the Bill Clinton presidential campagn before having a daughter with a mystery mother.

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**Landscape architect (Just Like Heaven)**

Just Like Heaven (2005)Mark Ruffalo and Reese Witherspoon — Peter Iovino/DreamWorks

Sure, it's ALMOST architect, but if you recall, Mark Ruffalo's character actually designed gorgeous outdoor garden spaces.

28 of the quirkiest rom-com careers (that aren't architect)

Trailer editor (The Holiday)

Bakery owner (It's Complicated)

Bookshop owner (You've Got Mail)

Vows columnist (27 Dresses)

"Coffee Collar" inventor (Made of Honor)

Art restorer (Made of Honor)

Apartment dresser (Leap Year)

Boat salesman (Failure to Launch)

Greeting card writer (500 Days of Summer)

Sports doctor (Trainwreck)

Playwright (Something's Gotta Give)