Jade Reed
Hollywood’s golden era gave us more than just classic films – it delivered wedding ceremonies that defined glamour for generations. From royal connections to rock star romances, these celebrations captured our imaginations and set the bar for celebrity nuptials.
Even decades later, these vintage weddings continue to inspire modern couples with their timeless elegance and star-studded charm.
1. Rita Hayworth & Prince Aly Khan (1949)
The “Love Goddess” of Hollywood married into actual royalty on France’s Riviera. Hayworth wore a periwinkle blue dress and matching hat for the ceremony at Khan’s Château de l’Horizon, where 500 bottles of champagne flowed for 600 guests.
Khan showered his bride with diamonds and racehorses as wedding gifts. Their union represented the pinnacle of post-war glamour and international jet-set lifestyle, though it lasted just four years before Hayworth returned to Hollywood with their daughter.
2. Grace Kelly & Prince Rainier III (1956)
America’s princess became Monaco’s actual princess in what many consider the wedding of the century. Kelly’s gown, designed by MGM’s Helen Rose, featured 25 yards of silk taffeta and 100 yards of silk net.
Two ceremonies marked their union – a civil ceremony and a Catholic Mass attended by 600 guests. The event was so monumental that MGM filmed it for a movie, while 30 million television viewers watched breathlessly.
3. Elizabeth Taylor & Richard Burton (1964)
Hollywood’s most passionate love story culminated in a Montreal hotel suite ceremony that made headlines worldwide. Taylor wore a yellow chiffon dress with hyacinths woven into her iconic raven hair.
Their relationship began scandalously on the set of ‘Cleopatra,’ both leaving spouses behind. Despite the controversy, their connection was undeniable – they would marry and divorce twice, unable to live with or without each other.
4. Audrey Hepburn & Mel Ferrer (1954)
Fashion icon Hepburn chose simplicity for her Swiss wedding, wearing a tea-length Balmain dress with a high neck and puffed sleeves. The intimate ceremony took place in a picturesque chapel overlooking Lake Lucerne.
Their romance blossomed after meeting at a cocktail party where Gregory Peck introduced them. Though their marriage lasted only 14 years, images of Audrey’s wedding look continue inspiring brides who prefer understated elegance over extravagance.
5. Paul Newman & Joanne Woodward (1958)
Those piercing blue eyes met their match in Woodward during a sweltering Las Vegas ceremony at the El Rancho Hotel. The couple escaped the Hollywood spotlight, preferring an intimate gathering with just a few close friends.
Newman wore a beige suit while Woodward chose a sleek cocktail dress. Their 50-year marriage became legendary in Hollywood, with Newman famously quipping about fidelity: “Why go out for hamburger when you have steak at home?”
6. John Lennon & Yoko Ono (1969)
Revolution wasn’t just in their music – it defined their wedding too. The Beatles legend and avant-garde artist tied the knot in Gibraltar, with Lennon in a white suit and Ono in a mini-dress, sunhat and knee-high socks.
They turned their honeymoon into a peace protest with their famous “Bed-In” in Amsterdam. Their wedding certificate remains on display at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, commemorating a union that merged music, art, and activism.
7. Elizabeth Taylor & Conrad “Nicky” Hilton Jr. (1950)
Eighteen-year-old Taylor stepped into her first marriage wearing a satin gown gifted by MGM Studios, who turned the event into a publicity goldmine. Over 700 guests watched the teenage starlet say “I do” to the hotel heir at the Bel-Air Country Club.
MGM’s Louis B. Mayer hosted the lavish reception, spending a reported $15,000 (equivalent to over $160,000 today). The marriage lasted a mere 205 days, but the wedding itself became the blueprint for Hollywood extravagance.
8. Jackie Kennedy & Aristotle Onassis (1968)
America’s beloved widow shocked the nation by marrying Greek shipping magnate Onassis on his private island, Skorpios. Jackie wore a beige Valentino lace mini-dress with long sleeves and a pleated skirt for the intimate Orthodox ceremony.
The press called her “Jackie O” afterward, cementing her status as a style icon in a new chapter. Despite public criticism of the match, the wedding represented Jackie’s desire for privacy and security after years in the political spotlight.
9. Bette Davis & Gary Merrill (1950)
Fresh from filming “All About Eve” together, Davis and Merrill eloped to a justice of the peace in Juarez, Mexico. The film legend skipped the traditional white gown, opting instead for a simple brown suit that matched her no-nonsense personality.
They adopted a baby girl just weeks after the ceremony, creating an instant family. Though their marriage ended after ten turbulent years, their wedding represented Davis at her most hopeful – believing she’d finally found her real-life leading man.
10. Marilyn Monroe & Arthur Miller (1956)
The bombshell and the intellectual surprised everyone with their union. Monroe converted to Judaism before their civil ceremony at the Westchester County Courthouse, followed by a Jewish religious service two days later.
For the religious ceremony, Monroe wore a simple pencil dress with a matching jacket. Miller’s cousin recalled: “She didn’t want to be the movie star at the wedding.” The press dubbed them “the unlikely couple,” fascinated by the pairing of America’s sex symbol with one of its most cerebral playwrights.
11. Elizabeth Taylor & Michael Wilding (1952)
Twenty-year-old Taylor’s second trip down the aisle took place at London’s Caxton Hall Registry Office. Breaking with tradition, she wore a demure suit rather than a gown, while Wilding, at 39, wore a simple dark suit.
The ceremony lasted just 15 minutes with no family present. Taylor later revealed she sought security with Wilding after her tumultuous first marriage: “I had to grow up and Michael knew I would.” They welcomed two sons before divorcing five years later.
12. Sophia Loren & Carlo Ponti (1966)
Their path to matrimony was as dramatic as any film either had worked on. The Italian beauty and her producer husband finally married in a secret civil ceremony in France after Ponti secured a divorce from his first wife.
No photographers captured the moment – a stark contrast to today’s media frenzies. Their love story began when Loren was just 16 and Ponti 37, yet they remained together until his death in 2007, proving skeptics wrong about their age gap and complicated beginnings.
13. Debbie Reynolds & Eddie Fisher (1955)
America’s sweethearts created wedding magic at the Grossinger’s Catskill Resort in New York. Reynolds wore a lace-covered satin gown with a sweetheart neckline while 1,500 guests attended what seemed like the perfect union.
Elizabeth Taylor served as matron of honor – ironically, the same woman Fisher would later leave Reynolds for. Despite its heartbreaking end, their wedding remains a beautiful time capsule of 1950s optimism and Hollywood royalty at its pinnacle.
14. Richard Burton & Elizabeth Taylor (1975, Second Wedding)
Lightning struck twice when Taylor and Burton remarried in a remote African location. The bride wore a flowing, rainbow-hued dress with matching floral headdress against the lush Botswana landscape.
Only 15 months after divorcing, they couldn’t stay apart. “Maybe we loved each other too much,” Taylor later reflected. Their second attempt lasted just nine months, but the colorful ceremony showcased their unquenchable passion and theatrical approach to romance.
15. Frank Sinatra & Ava Gardner (1951)
The Voice and the screen siren married in a borrowed Pennsylvania home just days after Sinatra’s divorce was finalized. Gardner wore a demure halter-neck dress with a single orchid in her hair, while Sinatra appeared in a dark suit.
Their relationship began as a scandalous affair while Sinatra was still married. Despite their passionate feelings, their union was turbulent from the start. “We were fighting all the time,” Gardner later admitted, yet their wedding photos capture a moment of pure hope between two legendary personalities.
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