M'Lynn is the mother of bride-to-be Shelby Eatenton, and as friend Truvy Jones fixes the women's hair for the ceremony, they welcome a helping hand from aspiring beautician Annelle Dupuy Desoto. Diabetic Shelby has a health scare, which is averted but doesn't bode well for her hopes of having children. Time passes, and the women and their friends encounter tragedy and good fortune, growing stronger and closer in the process.
