The young woman's name is Toula Portokalos and she works in her family's Greek restaurant in Chicago, where her overbearing and traditional parents constantly pressure her to find a Greek man to marry. However, Toula meets and falls in love with Ian Miller, who is not Greek, much to her family's disapproval.
Toula's struggle to reconcile her love for Ian with her deep-rooted Greek heritage forms the central plot of the movie. She tries to hide her relationship with Ian from her family at first, but eventually, they find out and react with shock and anger.
Toula's father, Gus Portokalos, takes it upon himself to try and "fix" the situation by inviting Ian and his family to a traditional Greek family dinner, where Ian's differences are magnified - from his vegetarianism to his non-Greek background. It is a chaotic and hilarious scene that showcases the clashing of cultures.
As Toula navigates the challenges of her cultural identity and her family's expectations, she also tries to balance her desire for independence with her love for her family. She enlists the help of her aunt and cousins to revamp her appearance and become more confident in herself, both for her own benefit and to impress Ian's family.
In the end, Toula and Ian's wedding brings together Greek and non-Greek traditions in a beautiful and emotional celebration of love and cultural acceptance. The movie is a heartwarming and funny exploration of family dynamics, identity, and the power of love to overcome cultural boundaries.