Winona Ryder introduced Christian Bale to his future wife Sibi Blazic on the set of this film. At the time she worked as Ryder's personal assistant.
Costumes are handed down from older sister to younger to underline the family's poverty and the connections between sisters. Jo's red plaid dress worn to the ball where she meets Laurie is worn the following Christmas by Beth when she comes down the stairs after being ill; Jo and Beth are close to each other, as Meg and Amy are close to each other. Meg's blue striped dress that she doesn't end up wearing to Sally Moffat's debut ball is worn years later by Amy when she announces she's going to Europe with Aunt March.
The set designer patterned the interiors after the layout of Orchard House, Louisa May Alcott's family home in Concord, Massachusetts. This is the house she lived in while writing the book, and she imagined its events taking place there.