Weddings
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Weddings and movie stars Nourmand and Marsh
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Edited by
Tony Nourmand Introduction by
June Marsh Written by
Carey Wallace Sarah Hodgson Alison Elangasinghe Art Direction and Design by
Graham Marsh Page layouts by
Joakim Olsson Produced by
Bruce Marchant
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Introduction What we like to remember most about Hollywood movies is the
Givenchy created for Hepburn for the wedding scene in the 1957
glamour and romance. The beautiful women and the handsome
movie, Funny Face? Givenchy’s lifelong association with Audrey
men, the larger than life diamonds, the lavish furs, shimmering
Hepburn was instrumental in launching a host of innovative fashion
silks and satins of the heroines’ costumes, the celebrity gossip, the
designs in the movies. Hepburn was the perfect muse for his work
opulent sets – but most of all we loved the happy endings.
that included the real life wedding outfit of ultra-modern design, a
Weddings and Movie Stars invites you to enjoy the intimate
pale pink mini dress and matching headscarf that she wore to her
moments, the red carpet events and the real life, as well as in-
second marriage to Andrea Dotti.
character, weddings of Hollywood’s best known and loved stars
Jacques Fath, the glamorous and party loving French couturier
of twentieth century film. From the most spectacular, such as the
designed Rita Hayworth’s wedding dress and trousseau when
royal marriage of Hollywood’s 1950s princess Grace Kelly to Prince
she married Prince Aly Khan. More recently, the British designer
Rainier of Monaco, to the insouciance of Natalie Wood and Robert
Vivienne Westwood’s fondness for the romantic dress is evident in
Wagner’s second marriage when they both wore denim.
the gorgeous wedding gown she created for Sarah Jessica Parker for Sex in the City.
Like Metro Goldwyn Meyer’s famous motto, ‘Make it big, Do it right, Give it class’, nothing was too good for the stars of
The French haute couturiers were happy to collaborate with
the big movie companies, especially when it came to a wedding
Hollywood’s finest. Not only because it was the most wonderful
scene. They had the best lighting, the best cameramen, costume
marketing proposition but also because of the generous budgets
designers, make-up artists and hairdressers and of course, the
studios lavished on costumes – the silk velvets, satins, bolts of
most handsome groom. Grace Kelly was, arguably, one of the most
chiffon and lace, glorious embroideries and shimmering lamé – all
beautiful – and hers a real life fairy tale. Kelly’s favourite costume
crafted to a quality that is rarely available today.
designer, the much-admired Helen Rose, designed the bridal gown
Weddings and Movie Stars reflects the changing fashion trends
and trousseau. Rose’s wedding gowns had become obligatory for
for wedding dress through a century of outstanding performers.
other stars of the forties and fifties such as Elizabeth Taylor, Pier
From the elaborate veils and trains at the beginning of the century
Angeli and Debbie Reynolds. At this time, Hollywood overflowed
through to the leaner lines and layers of the twenties. The sensuous
with great designers like Edith Head, Adrian, Banton, Irene Sharaff,
and luxurious bias cut drapes of the thirties to the forties understated
Jean Louis and many others, who all made exquisite clothes for a
wedding costumes, as wartime fabric shortages still prevailed. A
galaxy of gorgeous actresses.
girl’s best accessory though, was a man in uniform on her arm.
Oleg Cassini worked as a costume designer in the movies before
The more prosperous fifties saw a return of the big wedding and
he found fame outside of Hollywood. The aristocratic émigré
traditional white dress. And the sixties fashion revolution meant
became an American citizen and shot to international stardom in
anything goes, from mini-dress to full Victoriana. The seventies
the early 1960s thanks to his association with Jacqueline Kennedy
movie stars were joined by music industry and television idols who
when his selection as the couturier to shape the entire look of the
influenced a more laid back retro style. And in the eighties Dallas
First Lady was announced.
and Dynasty came with all the excesses, including wedding dresses
Some of the costume designers were already celebrities in their
referred to as the meringue – big and fluffy and a bit too sweet.
own right. It became a status symbol for the stars to have a French
Weddings and Movie Stars captures these magic moments
couturier such as Christian Dior to design their costumes. Pierre
and happy times when the world’s greatest movie stars played the
Balmain, famous for his glamorous ball gowns, worked on sixteen
best roles of their lives. Whether for better, or for worse, acting
films including the controversial And God Created Woman,
or for real, this pictorial celebration of the wedding day is sure to
starring Brigitte Bardot. Audrey Hepburn also chose him to design
entertain and inspire.
the wedding dress she wore when she married Mel Ferrer. And what could be more romantic than the bridal costume Hubert de
June Marsh
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Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier III of Monaco Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier III of Monaco met during
ceremony was watched by an estimated worldwide audience
the Cannes Film Festival in 1955. They were introduced during a
of thirty million.
photo shoot for the French magazine Paris-Match. Following
In return for releasing her from her contract, Grace Kelly and
a transatlantic courtship they announced their engagement in
Prince Rainier granted MGM studios the right to make a film of the
January 1956. Hailed as ‘The Wedding of the Century’ (Kelly
wedding, The Wedding in Monaco and, as a wedding gift, MGM
reportedly referred to it as ‘The Carnival of the Century’), the
commissioned Helen Rose, who had designed Kelly’s costumes
much-anticipated fairy tale marriage of the Hollywood screen
for High Society (1956), to make the gowns for both the civil and
goddess to a European Prince took place under the full glare of the
religious ceremonies. In addition, MGM made a wedding gift of
world’s media, and the public were captivated by the combination
Kelly’s favourite costumes from High Society which formed part
of Hollywood glamour and European royalty. The private civil
of her bridal trousseau, including the ensemble she wore as Tracy
ceremony, attended by eighty guests, took place in the Throne
Lord in the closing wedding scene. Rainier designed his own
Room of the Palace of Monaco on 18 April 1956, followed the next
wedding outfit, reportedly based on the uniform of Napoleon’s
day by a nuptial mass incorporating the marriage vows in the
Marshals. Following the marriage, Prince Rainier banned the
Cathedral of St. Nicholas in front of 600 guests. The televised
showing of Grace Kelly’s films in Monaco.
Above: Grimaldi Family Coat of Arms. Opposite: Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier pose for a formal portrait at the Palace of Monaco after the Cathedral ceremony. Following Monégasque tradition, the bride stopped en route from the Cathedral to the Palace to leave her bouquet at the small church of St. Dévote, the patron saint of Monaco.
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Above: Helen Rose’s design for Grace Kelly’s wedding gown, which is reported to have taken thirty-six seamstresses six weeks to make. The bell-shaped skirt of ivory peau de soie satin was supported by petticoats, the high-necked long-sleeved bodice was made of 125-year-old Valenciennes Point de Rose lace which was painstakingly re-embroidered to hide the seams. The ensemble was embellished overall with thousands of seed pearls. The circular cut silk net veil was specially designed so the bride’s face could be seen clearly and was embroidered at the back with love birds and attached to a Juliet cap. The bride carried a small prayer book, which was decorated with lace and seed pearls to match the dress, and a simple bouquet of lily-of-the-valley. After the wedding, Kelly donated the ensemble to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Oscar de la Renta commented, ‘On her wedding day, Grace Kelly gave new meaning to the word icon. Her whole look, from the regal veil to the feminine lace details and the conservative gown, made her an ageless bride’. Opposite: A formal portrait of Grace Kelly at the Palace prior to the Cathedral ceremony.
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Above, top left: Crawford and second husband Franchot Tone photographed shortly after their low-key wedding in New Jersey on 11 October 1935. Tone had starred opposite Crawford’s arch-rival Bette Davis in Dangerous (1945); hearing rumours that Davis had fallen in love with her co-star, Crawford hastened plans for their wedding. Above, bottom left: Crawford with third husband, actor Phillip Terry. The couple married on 21 July 1942, just six weeks after a dinner at Crawford’s house to which Terry had been invited by Crawford’s press agent at her instigation. They divorced in 1946. Above right: Crawford with fourth, and last, husband, Alfred Steele, President of the board of Pepsi-Cola. Having known each other socially for a while, Crawford’s interest in Steele was piqued when she heard that his second marriage was being dissolved. A speedy courtship followed, and on 9 May 1955, seemingly on the spur of the moment, Steele and Crawford flew to Las Vegas in the Pepsi-Cola private jet and were married at 2 a.m. on 10 May in a penthouse of the Flamingo Hotel. Crawford seemed to have found her answer to a successful marriage outside Hollywood, and the newlyweds settled in New York. Steele died in 1959. Crawford commented later, ‘There was never any question in his mind or mine that I was going to be his wife’. Opposite: Crawford in a bridal gown by Irene, standing against two of Irene’s costume designs, in a publicity photograph for Reunion in France (1942). Irene Lentz (1900-1962) was a fashion designer who married Eliot Gibbons, brother of MGM art director Cedric Gibbons, and embarked on a successful career as a costume designer at MGM.
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Rita Hayworth was not yet divorced from Orson Welles when she was introduced to Prince Aly Khan at a party in Cannes on 3 July 1948. Seven years before Grace Kelly married her Prince, Rita Hayworth became the first Hollywood film star to become a Princess on her marriage to Prince Aly, son of Aga Khan III, in a civil ceremony at the Town Hall in Cannes on 27 May 1949, followed the next day by a private Muslim ceremony. Above: The Prince and Princess are driven from the civil ceremony to the reception at the Prince’s home, Château de l’Horizon. Opposite: The newlyweds pose for photographs in the grounds of Château de l’Horizon by the Mediterranean. Hayworth wore a dress of pale blue crêpe de Chine by Jacques Fath, copies of which were soon on sale in Macy’s department store. At the time of her marriage, Hayworth was pregnant; Princess Yasmin Aga Khan was born seven months later.
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Above and opposite: Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner pose on their wedding day, 7 November 1951. Described by People magazine as one of the ‘Romances of the Century’, Ava and Frank found in each other qualities that had been missing in their other relationships: a truly equal partner in passion and drive. This same passion, however, gave birth to insecurities, jealousies and accusations that eventually overwhelmed the couple. Unable to find a way to make their marriage work, they divorced in 1957 but remained good friends for the rest of their lives. In her autobiography, Ava described Frank as the love of her life.
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Above and opposite: Nineteen-year-old ingénue Lauren Bacall was introduced to 44-year-old Hollywood star Humphrey Bogart in October 1944 by Howard Hawks on the set of his film Passage to Marseille. Bacall remembers there being ‘no clap of thunder’. Romance blossomed whilst they were co-starring in Hawks’ To Have and Have Not. Within six months, Bogart had extricated himself from his tempestuous six-year marriage to the volatile actress Mayo Methot, and eleven days after his divorce was granted, he and Bacall were married on 21 May 1954. The simple three-minute civil ceremony took place at Malabar Farm, the Ohio residence of Bogart’s friend Louis Bromfield. On being proclaimed husband and wife, Bacall is reported to have responded, ‘Oh goody!’
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Above: War Bride: 19-year-old actress Linda Darnell marries 39-year-old cinematographer J. Peverell Marley on 19 April 1943. Marley was in his service uniform and Darnell a white suit with an orchid corsage. Marley is one of only six cinematographers to have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The couple were officially married for eight years and adopted a daughter, Lola, together. Opposite: Actor Glenn Ford marries his first wife, actress and dancer Eleanor Powell on 23 October 1943. Ford wears his US Marine Corps uniform and Powell a fitted, white satin gown with a flower fascinator and veil. Ford was married a total of four times and had a long-term relationship with Rita Hayworth.
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Above and Opposite: The same film, but a different wedding: Michael (Al Pacino) marries his bewitching Italian sweetheart Apollonia in Sicily in The Godfather. Apollonia was played by the Italian actress Simonetta Stefanelli. Only sixteen at the time of filming, Stefanelli’s innocent beauty captivated audiences and casting directors alike and she went on to star in a number of Italian films.
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Above: On 14 January 1954, former Yankees superstar, Joe DiMaggio, married screen icon Marilyn Monroe, described in a local press account of the time as ‘the girl of his and many other men’s dreams...’ The civil ceremony took place at the San Francisco City Hall, a second marriage for both of them; it followed a two-year courtship. Although the marriage barely lasted nine months, DiMaggio never re-married and held feelings for Monroe for the rest of his life. Following Marilyn’s untimely death on 5 August 1962, DiMaggio arranged her funeral and paid for her casket and crypt. Numerous accounts state that he had half a dozen red roses placed at her crypt, three times a week, for twenty years following her death. Opposite: Monroe and DiMaggio facing a media scrum as they leave the City Hall in San Francisco following their winter wedding – a surprise, allegedly leaked to the press by a Fox studio insider the day before. Monroe wore an elegant two-piece chocolate brown suit with an ermine collar and carried a bouquet of white cymbidium orchids.
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Above and opposite: Elizabeth Taylor on the day of her wedding to Richard Burton in the bridal suite of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Montreal on 15 March 1964, ten days after Taylor’s divorce from Eddie Fisher was finalized. Taylor’s close friend, Oscar Levant, quipped of his friend’s fifth wedding, ‘Always the bride, never the bridesmaid’. Her daffodil-yellow chiffon gown was designed by Irene Sharaff, who designed her costumes for Cleopatra (1963). She wore a magnificent $100,000 eighteen-carat emerald and diamond brooch by Bulgari, an engagement gift from Burton, and her elaborate coiffure by Ronald DeMann was entwined with Roman hyacinths. Sharaff based the design for the dress on the pattern of the costume Taylor wore in her first scene with Burton in Cleopatra (for which Sharaff won an Academy Award for Best Costume Design), which heralded the beginning of one of the world’s greatest love affairs. The scandal of the affair and subsequent divorces necessary for their marriage to take place, caused shockwaves around the world, but the intensity of their passion and love was undeniable. What the press dubbed `The Liz and Dick Show’ had begun. Burton said of his new wife, ‘She will be my greatest happiness, forever’. The newlyweds had to fly to Toronto later that day for Burton to appear in Hamlet; at the end of the performance he famously addressed the audience, quoting from the play ‘We will have no more marriages’. They divorced in June 1974.
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Above and opposite: The marriage of Audrey Hepburn and Mel Ferrer took place in Burgenstock, Switzerland, where they made their home. They married at a private civil ceremony on 24 September 1954 attended by close friends and family, followed by a service at the local Protestant chapel the following day. The couple had been introduced at a party hosted by Hepburn’s co-star in Roman Holiday (1953), Gregory Peck. Her next role in Sabrina, released shortly after her wedding in October 1954, established a life-long working relationship and close friendship with Hubert de Givenchy, who designed the vast majority of her wardrobe from then on. However, on the occasion of this, her first marriage, Hepburn wore a gown of white organdie by French couturier and costume designer, Pierre Balmain. Hepburn and Ferrer had a son, Sean, and divorced, at Hepburn’s instigation, in December 1968.
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Above (clockwise from top right): The couple say their vows. Peter Lawford watches in the background; Sinatra congratulates Sammy; Sammy and his father, Sammy Davis Sr.; and the parents of the newlyweds. Opposite (clockwise from top right): Fellow Rat Packers Sinatra and Lawford with Sammy; the wedding party; a happy groom; and Sammy’s grandmother Rosa B. Davis.
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Above and opposite: Contemporary news reports describe the bride and groom’s attire: Elvis wore, ‘a black silk brocade tuxedo and western boots. Priscilla wore a floor-length wedding gown of ... white silk chiffon with a beaded yoke trimmed with seed pearls and topped with a three foot tulle veil secured by a rhinestone crown’. One hundred guests attended the wedding breakfast which, apparently, included on its menu: Oysters Rockefeller, clams, salmon, lobster, fried chicken, roasted pig and the pièce de résistance – a six-tier wedding cake that cost $3,500. At the reception Elvis and Priscilla reportedly danced to Love Me Tender.
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Above: Barbra Streisand playing pregnant Fanny Brice in Funny Girl (1968). The dress was designed by Irene Sharaff. Opposite: This photograph of Barbra Streisand and husband Elliot Gould was shot by David Montgomery in May of 1966. Three months later, it was used on the cover of Ladies’ Home Journal to announce that the couple were expecting their first child. Streisand and Gould first met in 1961 while performing in I Can Get It For You Wholesale at the St. James Theater in New York and were married in 1963. Streisand and Gould divorced in 1971, while their son, Jason Gould, grew up to be an actor, writer and director.
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