English Future : "We're staying"

Question

SEE THE CLIP HERE

Please watch the clip from Mother of the Bride above

The newly married couple was going to go to the honeymoon right after the wedding, but a problem happened, so they decided to not going to the honeymoon and stay to see what happened

The girl who is the bride in the white dress said :

1. We're staying.

I think that my other 2 version is also right:

2. We'll stay.

3. We're going to stay.

If so, in a context where I just made a decision (no arrangement or plan before speaking), can I use any of the 3 forms (present continuous, future simple and 'be going to')?

Answer 1

The difference between 1, 2, and 3 is quite subtle. As always there will be exceptions, but, in general, the following is true.

2 refers to a proffered choice or invitation, e.g.

Would you like to stay?

Yes, I'll stay

3 refers to an already existing plan, freely made, e.g.

Have you decided what you will do when the rest of us leave town?

Yes, I'm going to stay.

1 Is a very blunt statement of intent. It says that the speaker has made the decision and will not be swayed from. It, e.g.

You'd better come with me or there will be trouble!

No, I'm staying!

Note

As I say, there are exceptions, and just as important is intonation. In English, the tone of voice you use can affect the meaning greatly. What would be impolite in a gruff tone, could be perfectly acceptable when said in a pleasant tone.

Answer 2

It's always possible to pick phrases apart and over-analyse the subtleties to ascertain possible differences in meaning. But often the speaker put no such thought into their words and had no intention of any subtleties being perceived.

Here are some possible differences:

1. "We're staying" is in the present continuous tense which implies that the decision to stay has already been made and is currently in progress or happening. So it could be argued that, when a person says this, they have already made the decision (even if only just at that moment) and are completely resolved.

2. "We will stay" is in the simple future tense, which can indicate a decision or plan to stay that will take place in the future. It could still mean that the decision has just been made and that the staying will commence immediately.

3. "We're going to stay" is in the 'going to' future tense which is often used to express a plan or intention that has already been made but perhaps puts the actual act of staying slightly further into the future.

This is a quick analysis from which I think differences in meaning could be derived, but each could be used in different contexts or with conditions attached that might change the meaning entirely.

In the context of your clip, I think that "we're staying" is a good choice which emphasises that they already planned to be where they are for a prescribed length of time, that they are in place, and that the instruction that "you two can now go" doesn't sway them in that. "We will stay" or "we're going to stay" could suggest that they have had to rethink their position following that order to "go" and a new decision has been made, which isn't the case.

Answer 3

I. Tenses used to talk about the future.
The three sentences OP wants to consider are:

1.We're staying.
2.We'll stay.
3.We're going to stay.

II. Using Future tenses for Future actions.
Both the Simple Future (sentence 2) and Future Continuous can also be used in this case.
We will be staying.

III. Using Present continuous and "going to"..
Please pay attention to the past with "going to' below.

Ref. langeek.co.
Future Plans.
We can use both present continuous and 'going to' in past and future form to talk about plans or arrangements. While future with 'going to' and present continuous talk about future plans, past with 'going to' refers to past plans that mostly did not happen.
1.I am visiting my mother this weekend.
Here, we are talking about a future plan that is preplanned.
2.I am going to visit my mother this weekend.
Here, we talk about preplanned action that will soon be fulfilled.
3.I was going to visit my mother this weekend..
Here, we are referring to an action that planned to happen but somehow it failed to occur..
https://langeek.co/en/grammar/course/539/present-continuous-vs-going-to

IV. "are staying" - Is it a future action?.
Consider the following scenario:
Your own home is under construction.
You're staying at a rented property. You expected to move into your own home this month, but building work got delayed, so you can say:

"We were going to shift this month but we are staying in this house until our house is ready.".
Here "are staying" doesn't imply future planned action but continuing present action or status.

Similarly the bride in the clip meant to say:
"We were going on a honeymoon but we are staying until the matter is resolved.".

In this instance, the planned action (going on a honeymoon) is cancelled while the current action is continued.(are staying)