Famous Women Who Dazzled On Their Wedding Day
Celebrities tend to be just like the rest of us — the biggest difference being that they tend to do everything in a bigger, more lavish way, all while the eyes of the world are on them.
It stands to reason that any celebrity wedding is a big deal, with lavish dresses and impeccable wardrobes. Here are some of the most gorgeous women of the 20th century and how they looked on their wedding day.
Audrey Hepburn Was a Style Icon For a Reason
Iconic actress and fashion muse Audrey Hepburn was one of Hollywood’s most beloved stars by the time she married Italian psychiatrist Andrea Dotti in 1969 after meeting him on a Mediterranean cruise.
For their big day, Hepburn eschewed the traditional white and went with an understated pale pink gown designed by her close friend Hubert de Givenchy. The long-sleeved dress featured a funnel neck, which Hepburn paired with white tights, ballet flats, and a matching headscarf.
Priscilla Presley’s Classic Dress Was Iconic
Music superstar Elvis Presley first met Priscilla Beaulieu when she was just 14 years old, but despite the age gap and public scrutiny, the couple maintained an eight-year courtship before getting married in 1967.
For the ceremony, which was held in a private suite at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas, Priscilla Presley wore a gorgeous floor-length white gown covered in lace and pearls, topped off with a beaded crown securing a three-foot veil.
Bianca Jagger’s Look Was Effortlessly Cool
Actress and socialite Bianca Jagger, born Blanca Pérez-Mora Macías, first met rock star Mick Jagger in 1970 and the two were married the following year. While their marriage would end by the end of the decade, the outfit worn by Bianca at their civil ceremony in Saint-Tropez, France was downright stunning.
Bianca, who was two months pregnant at the time, went with a white Yves Saint Laurent smoking jacket, unbuttoned and without a blouse, atop a long skirt. She topped off the ensemble with a wide-brimmed veiled hat.
Natalie Wood Was a Vision in Lace
The first marriage of Hollywood stars Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood would end in a 1962 divorce, while their second marriage would end under mysterious circumstances when Wood drowned on a shared yacht trip — but despite the eventual tragedy, the two were a memorable Hollywood power couple.
For their first wedding, seen here, many of Hollywood’s biggest stars were in attendance. Wood wore a stunning white lace dress with a high neckline and long sleeves — all of which put the intricate lace designs front and center.
Emma Thompson Went For a Bright, Colorful Look
British actors Emma Thompson and Kenneth Branagh were both rising stars at the time of their August 1989 wedding. Thompson’s wedding dress is emblematic of the era, with colorful, vibrant designs set against a relatively traditional white dress.
While the couple was apparently simpatico for some time, even collaborating professionally on several Shakespearean plays, their marriage would eventually collapse in 1995.
Grace Kelly Became Royalty
It’s often said that the bride looks like a princess, but in the case of the wedding of Prince Rainier III of Monaco and actress Grace Kelly, the nuptials meant that the bride literally became a princess.
Their 1956 wedding in Monaco was a legitimate global sensation, covered extensively by the international press. As it was an aristocratic royal wedding, Grace’s wedding gown was in a traditional design, with a high-necked bodice, intricate lace, long sleeves and a full skirt.
Judy Garland Went For An Unconventional Look
Judy Garland was one of Hollywood’s brightest stars when she met director Vincente Minnelli on the set of 1944’s Meet Me in St. Louis, and the two quickly hit it off.
They were married in 1945, and it’s unfortunate that the photos are in black and white, because Garland wore a striking pale blue wool crepe suit, which had been designed by MGM costume designer Adrian. Together, the couple would have one daughter, Liza Minnelli.
Liza Minnelli Went For Lace
Liza Minnelli grew up in Hollywood thanks to her famous parents, and by the late ’60s, she was already making waves for her powerful singing voice and acting ability. She married Australian actor Peter Allen in 1967.
It was a fairly quiet ceremony considering the notoriety of the bride, and Minnelli’s gown featured a high neckline and plenty of lace. Their marriage would last a few years before they finalized a divorce in 1974.
Mia Farrow Was a Rising Star With a Unique Look
It was very early in Mia Farrow’s film career when the 21-year-old married legendary singer Frank Sinatra (who was 50) in a 1966 ceremony in Las Vegas.
For the big day, Farrow wore a youthful white dress with a fitted bodice and full skirt. It was a major media event, largely thanks to the presence that Sinatra had in Vegas. Less than two years later, the couple would be divorced.
Elizabeth Taylor Did Everything Big
Elizabeth Taylor was nearly as famous for her tumultuous love life as she was for her film career, particularly when it came to her relationship with Richard Burton.
The two celebrities were married in a private 1964 ceremony in Montreal. It was a relatively small-scale affair, and was already Taylor’s fifth wedding. She wore a short chiffon dress in marigold yellow, which was designed by Cleopatra costume designer Irene Sharaff.
Joanne Woodward Was Elegant and Understated
Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman were perhaps Hollywood’s most enduring power couple — both acclaimed actors whose marriage spanned nearly five decades until Newman’s death in 2008.
The couple met on the set of The Long, Hot Summer and tied the knot the following year in a private, low-key ceremony in Las Vegas. Woodward wore a simple, elegant dress with no veil and just a hint of lace.
The Schwarzenegger-Shriver Wedding Made For a True Power Couple
Arnold Schwarzenegger was one of the most famous people on the planet when he married journalist, author, and member of the Kennedy family Maria Shriver in 1986 in Hyannis, Massachusetts.
For the ceremony, Shriver wore an elegant, sophisticated gown with long sleeves, fitted bodice, and a flowing train. Together, Shriver and Schwarzenegger became one of the most famous power couples of the ’90s and beyond.
Michael Caine Was Captivated By Shakira Baksh
British actor Michael Caine was apparently so captivated by a Maxwell House coffee commercial that he set out to find the beautiful woman who starred in it. His search turned up Shakira Baksh, a British-Guyanese model who competed at Miss World 1967.
Their nuptials were private, but photos show that Baksh (who now went by Shakira Caine) wore a dress with flowing sleeves and a mock turtleneck. The couple has been married for over half a century.
Vanessa Williams Rebounded From Scandal
Singer, actress and model Vanessa Williams met her first husband, Ramon Hervey II, when she tapped Hervey’s public relations expertise to help her navigate the fallout from a scandal involving nude photographs.
Their partnership soon grew romantic, and they were married in New York in a small ceremony attended by family and friends. Williams wore a dress typical of the late-’80s era, with shoulder pads and a billowing skirt.
Sharon Tate Was the Portrait of ’60s Glamour
Actress Sharon Tate is best known for her sad demise at the hands of the Manson family, but in late ’60s Hollywood, she was seen as one of the movie industry’s brightest young stars.
When Tate married film director Roman Polanski in 1968, she wore a beautiful gown from designer André Courrèges, featuring a white minidress with a high neck, long sleeves, and geometric cutouts.
