Ella, a kind-hearted and beloved daughter, lives a life full of joy until her mother dies, leaving her under the care of her loving father. Ella's world is shaken again when her father remarries, introducing her to her new stepmother and two stepsisters, who turn her life into one of toil and sorrow after her father's untimely death. Her stepmother and stepsisters treat her cruelly, reducing her to a servant in her own house and mockingly dubbing her "Cinderella" because of her oft-dirty appearance from cleaning. Despite her hardships, Ella remains compassionate and refuses to despair, living by her mother's maxim to "have courage and be kind."

Ella's fortune begins to change when she meets a dashing stranger in the woods, unaware that he is actually the prince of the realm. While her family preoccupies themselves with an invitation to the royal ball meant to find the prince a wife, Ella is forbidden to attend. However, her fate takes a magical turn when an unexpected benefactor appears, equipping her with everything she needs to attend the ball. Cinderella's opportunity to once again cross paths with the prince arrives, but she is pressed for time as her enchanted evening has a time limit that threatens to end her fledgling romance and any chance of a better life before it can even begin.