Some of them liked to flaunt their riches, and others chose to keep things intimate and simple. Whatever the case may be, some incredible moments have been captured on camera over the years. As these vintage wedding pictures of celebrities from past decades suggest, some things never change.
Elvis and Priscilla Presley
This may be one of the oldest dresses on our list, as it was over half a century ago since Priscilla married Elvis Presley. It's only befitting that the King of Rock 'n Roll took his partner all the way to Las Vegas instead of Graceland and got married on May 1, 1967. They held their ceremony at the Aladdin Hotel, which is where they recited their vows.
As it turns out, Priscilla designed her own dress! Now isn't that impressive?! The wedding was quite discreet and intimate for a celebrity wedding. Presley’s manager invited a few lucky members of the press for an interaction with the couple. They managed to squeeze in the press conference between the wedding ceremony and a champagne breakfast for 100 people soon after.
Buster Keaton and Natalie Talmadge
Weddings in the early 1920s were lightyears away from their modern counterparts, and this picture from 1921 is a great example of the huge differences. Silent film actors Natalie Talmadge and Buster Keaton tied the knot with a beautiful wedding at her sister’s home in Bayside, Queens Talmadge carried a bouquet of roses with long ribbon streams, a popular style of bouquet at the time.
What’s more, her sisters Constance and Norma designed the wedding gown. The wedding took place outdoors on a sunny day. Bright flowers surrounded the bride and groom. The couple would go on to live a lavish life in Beverley Hills and had two sons: Joseph and Robert.
Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber
Top model Cindy Crawford married fellow model Rande Gerber in a trendy (at the time) beach wedding on May 29th, 1998. At their ceremony in the Bahamas, the laid-back wedding vibe was set with Rande in a white shirt and black pants and with Cindy in a lacey slip dress. The wedding venue was in Paradise Island. And in keeping with ultimate A-list style, nobody knew they were getting married!
But one can see the appeal of keeping things hush hush. The Gerber wedding was the very definition of a low-key beautiful beach wedding. The bride walked down the aisle barefoot, rocking effortless beachy waves for a hairstyle and carrying a bouquet of white flowers. Rumor has it that the couple slipped into their bathing suits and went for a swim right after the ceremony.
Harry and Bess Truman
On June 28, 1919, Elizabeth Virginia “Bess” Wallace married Harry Truman, who eventually would become president of the United States. As Bess grew into a young woman, she found interest in fashion and particularly enjoyed trendy hats. Harry and Bess met prior to him leaving for World War I and proposed in 1911. Unfortunately, she said no.
He decided that he wanted to be able to provide a comfortable living for her before proposing again. At their wedding, Bess wore a beautiful brimmed hat. The Trintiy Episcopal Church – where the wedding took place - was beautifully bedecked with pastel flowers and cathedral candles. The bride was a picture in a white georgette gown and a rose bouquet. The happy couple left for a long trip north immediately after the ceremony.
Betty and Gerald R. Ford
Elizabeth Anne “Betty” Bloomer married Gerald R. Ford in Grand Rapids, MI, in 1948 at the Grace Episcopal Church. Although most brides choose to wear white on their wedding day, Elizabeth did not. She looked absolutely beautiful in a shiny dress with a pair of pumps to match. Prior to her marriage to Gerald, she was married to a man named Willian G. Warren, but due to his personal struggles, they divorced in 1947.
The two of them delayed their marriage initially because he was running for the U.S. House of Representatives. According to the New York Times, “Jerry was running for Congress and wasn’t sure how voters might feel about his marrying a divorced ex-dancer.”
Grace Kelly
Before Princess Di and Charles or William and Kate, there was one storybook wedding for the ages that probably set the tone for all royal weddings after it. It was none other than the wedding of Grace Kelly and Prince Rainer III. When it comes to classics, it's difficult to beat the wedding dress Grace Kelly donned when she married Monaco's Prince back in 1956.
Helen Rose designed the high-necked, long-sleeve gown. The bodice was made of delicate Brussels lace, adorned with thousands of hand-sewn pearls, while the silk taffeta skirt boasted a lengthy, elegant train. A round veil completed what is regarded as one of the best celebrity wedding gowns ever, inspiring countless brides, including Kate Middleton.
A Major Sacrifice
For a romance that rocked Britian and irrevocably changed the monarchy, Edward VIII’s wedding was low-key, probably by design. In 1937 King Edward abdicated the throne to marry Wallis Simpson, an American who had been divorced twice. This decision resulted in the shortest reign in British history.
Six months after abdicating the throne, the Duke of Windsor married Simpson at the Chateau De Cande in France. The bride wore a soft blue dress with a matching hat, gloves, and shoes. Reporters weren’t allowed to take photos. As for the groom, he appeared content although his nervousness was evident to guests. The British press surprisingly gave the couple a lot of privacy. We sincerely hope that it was the right decision because that's a pretty big sacrifice.
Burton and Taylor
The first of their two marriages, Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, wed in 1964. A romance so intense they married twice – these Hollywood legends and their controversial romance was one for the ages. The love story began as a scandalous affair – both of them were still married to other people when they fell in love.
Taylor wore a bright yellow dress with a beautiful floral headdress for their first wedding. The years that followed were seemingly full of love, romance, and luxurious living. But after 10 years of marriage, things fell apart. They were divorced in 1974 but fortunately rekindled things in 1975 and eventually remarried each other.
Natalie Wood and Robert Wagner
1957 was the year that marked the beginning of Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood's controversial relationship. The two got married in Arizona on December 28 at the Scottsdale United Methodist Church. Hollywood was wildly, prematurely excited about the union, in true Hollywood fashion.
Some news reports even went so far as to declare the wedding a "glittering union of the 20th century.” The marriage would not live up to that sweeping statement or survive the pressures of the industry. They were divorced by 1962. Fast forward ten years later, they were remarried and continued with their often fiery relationship until Wood's mysterious passing.
Marylin Monroe and James Dougherty
Norma Jean Baker, AKA Marylin Monroe, got married for the first time at just 16 years old to her 21-year-old neighbor James Dougherty on June 19, 1942. The couple moved in to a house in Van Nuys and for the first two years, lived a blissful life together. Their marriage lasted four years.
It became clear she viewed Dougherty more as a father figure than a lover. She even nicknamed him “Daddy.” After he joined the navy, she became increasingly bored by herself. Photos of her taken at work caught the attention of agencies in Los Angeles. Norma Jean was discovered by modeling and acting agencies and could only sign the contract as an unmarried woman. And so it ended.
Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson
One of the lasting Hollywood marriages out there took place in the year 1988 when Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson tied the knot. Hanks and Wilson got married in April of that year. The bride chose to wear an unconventional short-length wedding dress – yes, long before the Guns N Roses “November Rain” video made it iconic.
The two are still just as strong over three decades later. Fun fact: Hanks converted to Wilson's Greek Orthodox faith in order to marry her! He would later share in an interview with Oprah that providence played a big part in bringing them together. And even though marriage wasn’t always magical, he knew they would get through anything together. Now if that isn’t couple goals in Hollywood we don’t know what is!
Elizabeth Taylor and Conrad Hilton
In 1950 the Hollywood royal had her first of eight marriages. The 18-year-old Elizabeth Taylor married the 23-year-old Conrad "Nicky" Hilton on May 6. She was the leading star at MGM and rumor has it the studio wanted to turn her into a romantic lead. But Taylor was only 18 then. In order to fast track her into adulthood rapidly, she needed to get married.
The wedding took place at the Bel-Air Country Club The event was hailed as the social event of the year. Taylor wore a gown designed by Helen Rose. Rose was famous for creating the actress's wardrobe in the 1950 film "Father of the Bride," as well as for designing Grace Kelly's wedding gown. Taylor might have walked down the aisle eight times but this was the only wedding when she did so in a traditional bridal dress.
Annette Funicello and Jack Gilardi
Annette Funicello, a famous singer, and actress at the time wed her agent, Jack Gilardi, on January 9, 1965. Funicello caught everyone’s attention in 1955 after Walt Disney discovered her performance in Swan Lake with her Burbank dancing school. He invited her to audition for an exciting new show called the Mickey Mouse Club. She not only nailed the audition but Disney personally handpicked her to be on first season of the show.
Soon she became a household name. By the early 1960s, Funicello was a regular fixture in several Hollywood films. She married Gilardi during this time. Their marriage lasted from 1965 until 1981. They had three kids: Gina, Jack Jr., and Jason. She later married Glen D. Holt, an equestrian trainer/breeder from California.
Jayne Mansfield and Mickey Hargitay
Finalizing her divorce from Paul Mansfield just days before, actress Jayne Mansfield wed Mr. Universe at the time, Mickey Hargitay, on January 13, 1958. The muscle man proposed to her with a 10-carat diamond ring just a few months before the big day.
On the wedding day, hordes of fans gathered for a glimpse of the giant rock. It was probably not a marriage of kindred souls since the two couldn’t be more different. They may not have been one mind but the chemistry was explosive. By 1962, there was trouble in paradise. Mansfield was allegedly having an affair with an Italian filmmaker.
Barbara Pierce and George H.W. Bush
George H.W. Bush and Barbara Pierce met as teenagers in 1941. In a documentary titled 41, he recalls how they first met at a Christmas dance: “Here she was in this red and green dress. I said, ‘Who is this good-looking girl, that beautiful girl over there?’ [...] So then a guy named Wozencraft introduced us. And the rest is history.”
A few years later, the two married in 1945 at First Presbyterian Church in Rye, N.Y. George’s mother gifted her own veil to Barbara for her ceremony. The couple never left each other’s side for 73 years – one of the longest-married in presidential history. Barbara has famously called him her “hero.” George held her hand when she died in April 2018.
Celine Dion and Rene Angelil
Celine Dion and her late husband, Rene Angelil, had been together for most of Celine's life. The two held a massive wedding outside Montreal's Notre Dame Basilica back in 1994. Celine wore a beautiful headpiece embellished with 2,000 Austrian crystals, along with a striking 20-foot train designed by Mirella and Steve Gentile.
Theirs was a love story for the ages. The 26-year age gap raised many eyebrows but the couple proved everyone wrong and became an inspiration, especially for their family and friends. They shared three children and renewed their vows in 2000. René was battling cancer throughout and lost the fight in 2016.
Michelle Robinson and Barack Obama
In 1989 Barack Obama met his future wife, Michelle Robinson, while working in Chicago at Sidley Austin law firm. In fact, Michelle had been given the responsibility of mentoring a young Barack who was already struck by her beauty. What a lucky break! But she wasn’t impressed. At first, Michelle was against dating a colleague because she knew that could make for a messy work environment if things didn’t work out.
However, he eventually convinced her to go on a date.The two were married three years later at the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago. It was as sweet as can be when Michelle’s brother walked her down the aisle, and the couple danced to “You and I” by Stevie Wonder followed.
Mick Jagger and Bianca Macías
After a whirlwind romance, Rolling Stones frontman and rock legend Mick Jagger married Bianca Pérez-Mora Macías (what a mouthful!) in 1971 in what might have been the coolest wedding in history. The couple got married in the Church of St. Anne in Saint-Tropez, France. The beautiful bride rocked up in an ivory Yves St. Laurent jacket and skirt with nothing underneath.
You seriously couldn't get cooler than that. When she stepped out wearing the unconventional wedding dress, it caused a media frenzy. Her outfit is now considered one the most iconic of all time. She was glowing and four months pregnant at the time. The skirt was both fabulous and hid her baby bump.
Nancy Davis and Ronald Reagan
This list features some iconic marriages that have not really stood the test of time. When Ronald Reagan married Nancy Davis, it was a little different and so was the intriguing story of how they met. Davis found herself on the infamous blacklist of actors McCarthy suspected of being communists. It was a clerical error, but an error that was costing her jobs in the industry.
Reagan happened to be the president of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) back then. She contacted him to see if he could help. And in the process, they fell in love. These two tied the knot at the Little Brown Church of the Valley in LA on March 4, 1952. Their marriage ended up lasting 52 years until Reagan's death in the year 2004. We wonder what their secret was.
Dean Paul Martin and Dorothy Hamill
Here we see figure skater Dorothy Hamill and singer Dean Paul Martin at their 1982 wedding. The private ceremony had 350 guests and took place in Beverley Hills. Hamill is donning a quintessential early 80s dress with a long veil and opulent lace. It was Martin's second marriage and Hamill's first.
The couple whisked themselves for an eight-day honeymoon. The plan after was to live in their new Los Angeles home. But the marriage only lasted two years, after which she married twice more. Even though the divorce wasn’t ugly and the marriage only lasted two years, she struggled to cope with his death in 1987. Martin was tragically killed in a plane crash.
Laura Welch and George Bush
George Bush and Laura Lane Welch met at a backyard barbecue in July 1977 and went miniature golfing on their first date. They got engaged and married just three months later. The two married on November 5, 1977, in a modest ceremony at her childhood church in Midland, Texas.
The new couple took pictures with the future president’s parents, George H.W. Bush and Barbara Bush. Though she could have opted for a lavish gown, Laura chose to walk down the aisle in a very simple tan dress she bought off the rack. She supported her husband’s political ambitions right from the start. Over time, she would become indispensable to his campaigns and known for her political astuteness.
Prince Charles and Lady D
The wedding of the decade, no doubt. Lady Diana Spencer and Prince Charles tied the knot. This wedding created a media buzz that was never seen in history. The historic day took place on July 29, 1981. Royal weddings were never the same after the world watched the bride entered St. Paul's Cathedral in an Elizabeth and David Emanuel gown.
The wedding made television history. It has been reported that about 750 million people watched the televised event. Soon brides all over the world wanted a wedding that looked just as magical as that. The wedding was textbook fairytale although the marriage turned out to be anything but.
Olivia Havilland and Pierre Galante
In 1955 this Christian Dior wedding dress made its way down the aisle in the very stylish wedding of actress Olivia Havilland with her second husband, Pierre Galante. The man was the executive editor of a leading French fashion magazine so you could expect nothing less than impeccable style at their wedding. Olivia Havilland shot to Hollywood stardom after appearing in the 1935 film “Captain Blood” opposite Errol Flynn.
The film was a smash hit and paved the way for other movies in her career, some that earned her Academy Award nominations. The actress also donned an iconic gown while filming the romantic comedy "The Ambassador's Daughter" roughly around the same time. The long-sleeved and high-necked dress looked simply breathtaking. The film was out the following year.
Lauren Bush and David Lauren
In a marriage made in fashion design heaven, designer Lauren Bush married David Lauren, the son of designer Ralph Lauren. The dress design expectations were, of course, very high, and the results were not disappointing. Lauren’s dress was designed by none other than Ralph Lauren and featured both old-world extravagance and modern elegance. The material was hand-embroidered with Swarovski crystals, beads, and pearls.
And, not surprisingly, David wore a Ralph Lauren suit, certainly making this one of the most fashion-forward weddings! The couple was fashion royalty but the wedding ceremony went for the opposite vibe. In keeping with the groom’s family roots, the Bush-Lauren wedding was unabashedly country. Lauren wore a vintage gown and entered the ceremony in a horse and buggy. David’s old-timey suit perfectly complemented his bride and the Colorado skies.
Carole Landis and Thomas Wallace
Actress Carole Landis married her Air Force captain Thomas Wallace on January 23, 1943. Wallace met Landis in 1941 when she was in England performing for soldiers. She said something hit her right in the heart when she first saw him. Wallace evidently felt the same way since he proposed to her on their first date! Wedding preparations were going smoothly until a week before the ceremony when Landis had appendicitis.
She needed to remove it and the wedding was almost cancelled. She recovered and even had the doctor who performed the surgery give her away at the wedding. The couple joyfully danced the Jitterbug to big band music, as was the style back then. She celebrated quite a few times since, as she got married another three times. (Wallace was her second husband.) Wallace resented her Hollywood lifestyle and wanted her to become a housewife.
Rod Stewart and Alana Hamilton
For his 1979 wedding to Alana Hamilton, Stewart donned a sweet white suit. His bride showed up wearing a very stylish off-the-shoulder dress and a baby's-breath crown. The two came from starkly different backgrounds even though they seemed made for each other. Stewart was your classic A-list musician.
He was deeply embedded in the glitzy entertainment industry - your quintessential artist who worked hard and partied even harder. Hamilton grew up with largely absent and dysfunctional parents in rural Texas. She decided to take charge of her own life and moved to New York to become an airline stewardess. Somewhere, their paths crossed. The marriage lasted five years. Stewart believed the marriage fell apart because he had married too young at age 36.
Lyndon Baines Johnson and Lady Bird Taylor
Lyndon Baines Johnson, LBJ for short, met Claudia Alta, “Lady Bird” Taylor, through a mutual friend. Lady Bird later confessed that she felt drawn to LBJ “like a moth drawn to a flame.” Wildly enough, he proposed to her on the first date. She thought he was crazy, but she accepted about two weeks later.
Lady Bird still wanted to be more cautious and told LBJ that she wanted them to wait six months before tying the knot. And that’s when their now-legendary letter writing to each other between Texas and Washington began. The lovestruck duo wrote a letter to each other (sometimes even two letters) each day. The two married in San Antonio, Texas, on November 17, 1934. A honeymoon to Mexico came after the wedding.
Marla Maples and Donald Trump
Marla Maples is best known as the southern belle who was second wife to Donald Trump. Most reports about her veered on the unkind, alluding that she was the “homewrecker” responsible for ending Trump’s first marriage to Ivana.
In 1993 wedding gowns were getting sleeker, and the frills and poofs started to fade away, as we see in the blushing bride in this picture. Marla Maples's dress is an example of the new trend that began to dominate the 90s. Due to a pre-signed agreement, the model/actress was forbidden from disclosing details about the marriage after the couple decided to call it quits.
Eleanor Roosevelt and FDR
Eleanor Roosevelt, who is the daughter of President Theodore Roosevelt’s brother, married Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who was the president’s fifth cousin in 1905. Their initial meeting was back when Eleanor was 14, and he was 18. After losing touch for a few years, they reconnected when they ran into one another at a horse show in Madison Square Garden.
They began meeting each other frequently at parties and became very close as the years went by. F.D.R. finally proposed to Eleanor in 1903 when she was 19 and he 22. The wedding took place two years later on St. Patrick’s Day, where former President Theodore Roosevelt walked the bride down the aisle.
Eileen Bennet and Marcys Mash
The famous tennis player Eileen Bennet wed her horse-racing hubby Marcus Marsh on September 28, in the year of 1936. She switched out her tennis headband for a beautiful headpiece and long veil when she walked down the aisle. Although it’s not clear when Bennet and Mash met, but it was likely around 1935 when her tennis career had begun to wane.
Women’s tennis at the time wasn’t taken too seriously, often considered an indulgent side piece to the “real” game that men played. She was still married to Edmund Fearnley-Whittingstall then. Mash would become her second husband and also named as a co-respondent in the divorce petition her first husband would file eventually.
Edith Bolling Galt and Woodrow Wilson
President Woodrow Wilson met Edith Bolling Galt a year after his wife passed away. She was also a widow. They met through Wilson’s cousin who also happened to be a mutual friend. The two got along swimmingly since Edith also shared a passion for politics. Wilson’s first wife had been shy and avoided discussing politics or being in the public eye. Wilson proposed three months later.
The two married on December 18, 1915, in Washington, D.C. It was thought by many that Wilson would not be elected for a second term due to his quick courtship with Edith. However, he was inaugurated for the second time in March 1917. Edith proved to be an invaluable advisor to her husband during his second term, which included the beginning of WWI.
Lou Henry and Herbert Hoover
In her free time, Lou Henry enjoyed camping and collecting rocks and minerals. She met future President Herbert Hoover at Stanford University, where she graduated with a B.A. in Geology. In February of 1899, Lou and Herbert tied the knot at her parents’ home in Monterey, California. Despite being Quakers, they were married by a Roman Catholic priest.
Interestingly, Lou chose to wear a dark-colored gown. The couple left for China the next day for Hoover’s work with the Chinese government. The Hoovers settled in the city of Tientsin. While her husband went about his duties investigating working conditions in Chinese mines, Henry learned to speak and write Chinese. Lou Henry was the only First Lady who was fluent in Chinese!
Fergie and Prince Andrew
Not quite as buzzed about as Diana's and Charles' special day, but the Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, still had quite a big day and included high-profile guests such as other royals and even Elton John! The wedding that took place on July 23, 1986, was still pretty memorable.
Interestingly, it was Princess Diana, Andrew's sister-in-law, who helped facilitate this royal match. She and prince Andrew first met as young children but drifted apart. Years later, they met again and after spending more time together, there was no denying the spark and connection. Even though the marriage didn’t last, they remain friends and co-parents to their two daughters.
F. Scott Fitzgerald and Zelda Sayre
F. Scott Fitzgerald’s biographer, Matthew J Bruccoli once said that everything the author wrote could be considered “a form of autobiography.” And those curious about Fitzgerald’s personal life needed to only reference “The Great Gatsby” and the relationship between Daisy Buchanan and Jay Gatsby. The characters were a fictionalized but accurate representation of Fitzgerald and his wife, Zelda when they were young and beautiful, as the song goes.
It was the year 1920, the year that the iconic jazz age couple, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Zelda Sayre, got married. The ceremony consisted of 8 guests and took place at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City on April 3rd. As you can imagine, even though it was small, there probably hasn't been a more magical ceremony like that since.
Richard Nixon and Pat Ryan
Thelma Catherine “Pat” Ryan and Richard Nixon fell in love after meeting at an audition for a community play. The two married on June 21, 1940, in Riverside, California, and following that, they honeymooned in Mexico. The photo above is a picture from Nixon’s wedding shower.
Nixon volunteered for military service in 1941 when American involvement in WWII became a reality after Pearl Harbor. He was assigned duty in the Pacific as part of the Navy. The only thing he looked forward to was writing letters to his wife. Nixon wrote to Ryan every day in the fourteen months he was away from her.
Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Smith
Rosalynn and Jimmy Carter were fairly young when they married on July 7, 1946. At the time, she was only 18, and he was 21. The wedding was located in their hometown, Plains, Georgia. It doesn’t come as a surprise that Jimmy wore his Navy uniform. Rosalynn chose a knee-length dress and paired it with a set of gloves, a hat, and a corsage.
Carter said marrying his wife was the best thing he ever did. The story goes that they went on their first date to the movies before Carter’s final year at the Naval Academy. He told his mother the next day that he would marry Rosalynn one day. This love story has endured it all - for over seven decades!
Princess Anne and Mark Phillips
Princess Anne and Captain Phillips met in 1968 at an event for equestrian lovers in Mexico City. They bonded over their shared love for horses. Phillips was a 1972 gold medal winner at the Munich Olympics. The princess would also compete with the British team in at the Montreal Olympics a few years later. News of their engagement broke in 1973 and the British press went into a tizzy.
The princess wasn’t too pleased since she did not like publicity but endured all of it as part of public duty. While certainly not as media-worthy or influential as Queen Elizabeth's or Princess Diana's big day, the 1973 wedding between Princess Anne and Mark Phillips still drew a fair amount of attention. Her turtleneck gown and draping sleeves had a distinct '70s look. She definitely looked beautiful!
Jackie Bouvier and JFK
In September 1953, John F. Kennedy married Jackie Bouvier in a dream wedding that took place in Rhode Island. She was 24 and he was 36 at the time of the wedding. But Bouvier and Kennedy were the quintessential American couple long before they said their “I dos” or ventured into the White House.
The pair was featured on Life magazine months before the wedding – a young senator and his lady love who was much sought-after in every social circle that mattered. When the two made it official in 1953, it was a society wedding for the ages. The media swarmed that event. Jackie's lace dress was supposedly made from 50 yards of material, and her look was complete with a veil that originally belonged to her grandmother.
Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman
Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward’s marriage was one for the books. The two met when Newman was still married to his first wife. However, once he laid eyes on Woodward, he couldn't think of anyone else. Both actors had performed together in the Broadway version of “Picnic” by playwright William Inge.
Reports are that Woodward initially had zero interest in him, but he was persistent. The two worked together once more in “The Long, Hot Summer” and got married in Vegas in January 1958, just a few months before the March release of the movie. Theirs was one of the most enduring marriages in Hollywood. They were married for 50 years until Paul died from lung cancer in 2008.
Alice Lee and Nicholas Longworth
Alice Lee Roosevelt was the oldest daughter of President Theodore Roosevelt. She was known to be quite the wild child. It was in 1906 when she married a Republican Congressman named Nicholas Longworth in the White House. The two had mingled in the same social circles for years but their relationship took off only much later.
Nicholas was 14 years older, and Alice wasn’t quite ready to settle down. Because of this, she ended up having an affair with Senator William Borah. The affair was common knowledge in D.C., one of its biggest open secrets. Nicholas was also known to be somewhat of a playboy which resulted in the two having a very up-and-down marriage.
Gloria Vanderbilt and Pat DiCicco
In 1941 one of the most lavish weddings took place in the world of social elites on December 28 when heiress and future fashion designer Gloria Vanderbilt wed movie producer Pat DiCicco. Their story had a rough start. Vanderbilt dropped out of high school at age 17 to marry DiCicco. Her aunt (and guardian) was dead against the marriage.
She knew it was a mistake. But the wedding still took place in Beverly Hills and featured a beautiful cake and gorgeous decorations. DiCicco’s true colors began showing soon enough. He was verbally and physically abusive. The man was even rumored to have mafia connections. The couple divorced four years after their wedding. That was the first of her four marriages.
Alfred Hitchcock and Alma Reville
Alfred Hitchcock was "hitched" on December 1926 to the lovely Alma Reville at London’s Brompton Oratory. Reville was a Protestant but converted to Roman Catholicism since Hitchcock’s mother apparently insisted on it. Given the fact that the man is considered to be one of the greatest directors in history, you'd think that his wedding must have been a major production.
In reality, it was a rather simple affair followed by a quaint honeymoon in Paris. After their honeymoon, Alma and Alfred moving into a new home in London where their life as a married couple began. The two were kindred spirits, especially in their shared love for films.
Mariah Carey and Tommy Mottola
Tommy Mottola was at a party when someone slipped him a demo tape. On listening, he wanted to turn the car around, head back to the party, and track the unnamed singer down! The voice on the tape belonged to an 18-year-old Mariah Carey. Soon, their professional partnership took off and so did their romance. In 1993, Carey and Mottola walked down the aisle. He was 43 and she was 23.
While Mariah Carey has had a few relationships since tying the knot with Tommy Mottola, we still wanted to take a look back at the notable dress she wore. Her Vera Wang dress was inspired by Princess Diana's classic wedding gown, giving Mariah a billowing skirt, off-the-shoulder puff sleeves, and a 27-foot-long train. If that wasn't enough, the singer also wore a 10-foot veil and bedazzled tiara to complete her over-the-top look.
Helen Louise Herron and William Howard Taft
Helen Louise Herron “Nellie” Taft first met William Howard Taft at a party. He was a young, dashing lawyer then. She was a student at a private school in D.C. with music as her passion. The two bonded over their intellectual interests, and friendship soon paved the way for love. Herron and would-be president William Howard Taft married on June 19, 1886.
The wedding ceremony took place at Nellie’s parent’s home in Cincinnati, Ohio. Her dress was a short-sleeved gown with her hair styled into a beautiful updo with a decorative accent. While on their honeymoon, the two visited New York City and Sea Bright, New Jersey. Following that, they traveled to Europe for a total of three months.
Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis
Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis first met in the 1950s at a press event. The connection was instant and the couple’s relationship developed swiftly. They fell in love and battled many odds, many times butting heads with the industry to safeguard their relationship. For instance, Universal offered Curtis a neat sum of money to marry Piper Laurie – a move deemed essential to boost his career.
But no amount of cash would keep him from Leigh. The 1950s It Couple, Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh walked down the aisle in 1951. This was a wedding where Jerry Lewis was the best man so you can imagine the star power in the room. While it was iconic, it was a relatively intimate wedding with a small layered cake and a few floral centerpieces.
Mamie Doud and Dwight Eisenhower
Geneva "Mamie" Doud, who was only 19 at the time, married Dwight Eisenhower on July 1st, 1916. At the time of their marriage, Dwight was 25 and a lieutenant in the Army. The two wed at Mamie’s parents’ home in Denver, Colorado. Following the wedding, the two enjoyed their honeymoon at a resort nearby. Life after marriage was a succession of army postings in the United States and duties overseas.
From France and the Panama Canal Zone to the Philippines, the Eisenhowers were constantly on the move. This continued until 1953 when the couple reached the pinnacle of their efforts. Eisenhower was inaugurated as President of the United States. The stayed happily married and content until Eisenhower’s death in 1969.
Luci Baines Johnson and Pat Nugent
American businesswoman, philanthropist, and daughter of former U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson had her wedding in 1966. Her marriage to the Air National Guardsman, Pat Nugent, at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. The ceremony was small and intimate with around 12 guests in attendance.
But there were 700 guests at the gala that followed. The event was attended by many important people and state officials the bridesmaids wore bright pink matching outfits with full-length veils (veils that were pink, too, of course.) The newlyweds then whisked themselves off to the Bahamas for a dreamy honeymoon.
Julie Andrews and Tony Walton
Julie Andrews met Tony Walton when she was 12 years old, not knowing the part he will play in her future. At the time, she was involved in a Humpty Dumpty Christmas pantomime, playing the role of an egg. Among her front-row viewers was Walton, who couldn't take his eyes off her.
They met again on the train on their way back home and became friends. Two days later, Walton showed up at her door, and the two developed a close connection. They tied the knot in 1959. Walton was Andrews’s first great love. They were married for nine years, shared one child, and collaborated on several projects together. But the two eventually divorced in 1968.
Edith Piaf and Jacques Pills
The beloved French cabaret singer Edith Piaf married fellow singer Jacques Pills on September 20, 1952. When Piaf first met Pills, she was in a serious relationship with cyclist, Louis Gérardin. Also a singer, Pills wanted to work with her on a song. One rehearsal led to another and before you knew it, the two announced not just a tour together but their engagement.
It was all kind of abrupt. Graceful and elegant as always, Piaf wore a simple white dress with a long-sleeved white bolero that was tied in the front. The happy singer and her new husband celebrated with some champagne and a relatively small but gorgeous wedding cake. They got married at Saint Vincent de Paul Church in New York City, and the famous German actress Marlene Dietrich was the maid of honor.
Lady Elizabeth Bowes and the Duke of York
A wedding in true British regal style, Lady Elizabeth Bowes Lyon and the Duke of York tied the knot in Westminster Abbey on April 26th, 1923. Lady Elizabeth went on to become the Queen Mother of England, and her husband, King George VI. The future queen wore a gown that was proper for the time — a laced white dress with a long train.
The Duke of York wore the customary royal uniform. The bride decided to do something in memory of her brother, Fergus, as she walked into the Abbey. She placed her bouquet at the Tomb of The Unknown Warrior. The gesture has become tradition for royal brides ever since who now place their bouquets at the same tomb, only after the ceremony and not before it. The wedding was an opulent ceremony, but the BBC was denied its request for coverage of the event.
John Wayne and Josephine Saenz
The famous western actor of Hollywood’s Golden Age, John Wayne, dominated the silver screen during the 50s and 60s. After seven years of dating, this cowboy married Josephine Saenz, the daughter of the Consul of Panama in Los Angeles.
Since John was a presbyterian and Josephine catholic, her family wasn’t happy about the union and only allowed it after Wayne had become a big movie star. They got married in the house of actress Loretta Young, and Josephine wore a beautiful white dress paired with a bouquet of flowers and ribbons. The couple would welcome four children together. They appear happy in this photograph but ultimately did not not get their happily ever after.
Ginger Rogers and Lew Ayres
Beloved American actress, dancer, and singer Ginger Rogers lit up the big screen during the 30s and 40s. She and Fred Astaire were the stars of Hollywood’s Golden Age, but they were only a couple on the screen. In real life, Ginger married her second husband, Lew Ayres, in 1934, after the two of them met a year earlier on the set of "Don’t Bet on Love."
Ginger wore a gorgeous lace dress and a classy wide-brimmed veil hat. The wedding cake had a similar-looking doll figure of her on the top. Sadly, the couple separated less than two years later.
Ingrid Bergman and Petter Lindstrom
The famous Swedish star of "Casablanca," Ingrid Bergman, married Dr. Petter Lindstrom on July 10th, 1937. Lindstrom was a dentist that later became a neurosurgeon, and Bergman was at the height of her film career. Bergman wore a beautiful headdress, and the couple held the flower bouquet together.
The marriage lasted thirteen years, until 1950 when Bergman had an affair with Italian director Roberto Rossellini, whom she later married and had three children with. The affair would enmesh the couple in a media storm. A frenzied moralistic debate ensued. Most reports were sympathetic to Lindstrom and unleashed vitriol on Bergman for abandoning her husband and daughter to run off to Italy.
Queen Elizabeth II and Philip the Duke of Edinburgh
Prince Philip and Princess Elizabeth and first crossed paths at the wedding of Prince George, Duke of Kent to Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark. It seemed fitting for the two to meet at a wedding given their epic love story to come. On 9 July 1947, they officially announced their engagement. A young Queen Elizabeth II married Prince Philip in 1957 at a grand ceremony in Westminster Abbey.
The church was decorated with white roses and camellias, and the Queen selected three different types of British orchids for her bouquet. She wore a beautiful gown with flowers sewn on the neckline and the famous Queen Mary Fringe Tiara, which was later seen on other royal brides like Princess Anne and Princess Beatrice. Prince Phillip wore the traditional uniform. The Queen went on to reign the UK for an astonishing 70 years.
Clark Gable and Sylvia Ashley
The heartthrob of Hollywood in the 30s and 40s, Clark Gable was nicknamed “The King of Hollywood,” with a career that lasted nearly 40 years. Gable married his fourth wife, English model, actress, and socialite Lady Sylvia Ashley in 1949. Gable and Ashley first met at a party where they spent most of the evening together. The party ended.
Time passed, and nobody thought much about it since the actor was dating other people during the time. To everyone’s surprise, Gable announced one day that he getting married. Who to? The lady in question was Syliva Ashley. The couple tied the knot at their California ranch in a beautiful ceremony where Lady Ashley wore an elegant black suit. The marriage lasted three years, and in 1955, Gable went on to marry actress Kay Williams.
Cary Grant and Barbara Hutton
English actor Cary Grant was Hollywood’s elegant leading man from the 30s to the 60s, and everyone was crazy about him. But one of the lucky ladies that caught him was his second wife, the heiress to the Woolworth fortune, Barbara Hutton. They married in 1942 in California, and Hutton wore an elaborate headdress and ornate bouquet. We can see the newlyweds standing beside Hutton’s childhood companion, Miss Touquet.
Grant met socialite Hutton during WWII when they were both selling war bonds. Due to their social and economic situation, they were called “Cash and Cary” after getting married. Although news headlines pegged the couple as one entity, Grant was determined not to live off his wife’s wealth. He allegedly despised her privilege, particularly her wealthy friends and entourage of staff.
Ava Gardner and Frank Sinatra
Nobody could sing like "Ol' Blue Eyes" legend Frank Sinatra, who was one of the most popular entertainers from the 1940s to the 1960s. His second wife was Hollywood beauty Ava Gardner, a popular actress during the 40s and 50s. They got married in Pennsylvania in 1951 when Gardner’s career was at its peak, and Sinatra's was slowing down.
She wore a gorgeous dress and a pearl necklace. Sinatra’s career plummeted after the marriage. People close to the couple said their love was intense, but their fights even more so. Sometimes they ended up going at each other in public. The couple separated three years later and finally got divorced in 1957. Gardner never remarried.
Audrey Hepburn and Mel Ferrer
One of the loveliest faces in Hollywood history, Audrey Hepburn was a leading celebrity during the 50s and 60s. She met theater actor Mel Ferrer in 1953 at a party to celebrate the British premiere of Hepburn’s film "Roman Holiday." A year later, in 1954, the couple got married in Switzerland, with Hepburn wearing a dreamy dress designed by Balmain and a rose tiara.
Ferrer was 12 years her senior and had four children already, but the two were madly in love. Hepburn was especially smitten with Ferrer. The actor wanted to keep her wedding a secret from the press as much as she could. They had a son together and a 14-year marriage until ultimately getting a divorce in 1968.
John Lennon and Yoko Ono
True to their unconventional rockstar lifestyle, John Lennon and Yoko Ono got married in a registry office in Gibraltar. Yoko Ono wore a white, sixties-era minidress and tennis shoes with high socks. To top off the look, she donned huge round sunglasses and a sunhat.
The couple got married on March 21st, 1969 in Gibraltar, with the famous Rock of Gibraltar behind them. John and Yoko engaged deeply with peace activism during their marriage. They recorded music together and even protested the Vietnam War on their honeymoon no less. They stayed married for eleven years until Lennon’s death in 1980.
Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones
The younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Margaret, was 30 years old when she married the First Earl of Snowdon, Antony Armstrong-Jones. In true royal fashion, the princess wore a crown with a veil and a classy wedding dress with her traditional bouquet of flowers. The couple wed in 1960, stayed together for 18 years and had two children.
The marriage was unconventional for several reasons. Armstrong was a photographer and most importantly, a commoner. Additionally, both spouses indulge in numerous extramarital affairs throughout their marriage, which unsurprisingly resulted in a divorce in 1978. But she and Jones had remained close friends after their separation. Princess Margaret passed away in 2002.
Brigitte Bardot and Roger Vadim
Brigitte Bardot was considered by many to be the most beautiful actress to ever grace the screen. When she was barely 18 years old, the French bombshell got married to famous French screenwriter and director Roger Vadim. The wedding was in Paris in December of 1952, and Bardot’s parents were less than thrilled.
It turns out that they started dating when Vadim was 20 years old when Brigitte was only 14, and so when he proposed, her father pulled a gun at him. Brigitte immediately stuck her head in the oven and threatened to kill herself if she couldn’t marry him. Talk about drama!
Paul and Linda McCartney
In March of 1969, the ex-Beatle Paul McCartney and Linda Louise tied the knot in London, England. She was a photographer and musician and the keyboardist of the band Wings, which also featured McCartney. He proposed after they had dated for a year. But the couple got into a huge fight just hours before the wedding and almost called it off.
McCartney later shared in an interview how they were “crazy,” far from the picture of peaceful married bliss the press likes to paint about their relationship. Here, the young couple shares a passionate kiss covered in petals to seal the ceremony, accompanied by their daughter Heather. Linda and Paul had four children and remained together until Linda passed away in 1998.
Orson Welles and Rita Hayworth
Orson Welles is the director, screenwriter, and actor behind "Citizen Kane," "A Touch of Evil," and some of cinema’s greatest masterpieces. He is considered to be one of the greatest American filmmakers of all time, and he married one of the greatest actresses of all time, Rita Hayworth. The press called her “The Love Goddess” due to her glamourous idol status throughout the 40s and 50s.
Above, Welles and Hayworth smile for the camera after getting married at Santa Monica’s marriage license bureau on September 7th, 1943. Opposites attract, and you could hardly find two more different people married to each other than Hayworth and Welles. He was whimsical, confident, and a bit of a maverick. She was more conventional, lonely, and insecure about her talents, even though she was the one in the marriage bringing in good money after a while. They divorced four years later.
Bill Robinson and Elaine Plaines
Bill Robinson, known by his artist name “Bojangles,” was an American tap dancer, singer, and actor who was the highest-paid and most famous black entertainer in the U.S. throughout the 20th century. Robinson married dancer and choreographer Elaine Plaines in 1944, and the two were married until Robinson’s death in 1949.
Above, the newlyweds pose comically about to share a loving kiss. Robinson and Paines stayed together till his death in 1949. He passed away due to a series of heart attacks. The couple stuck it out through thick and thin, no easy task given Robinson’s temper and his drinking and gambling habits.
Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart
It doesn’t get more classic Hollywood than Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. On May 21st, 1945, cinema’s favorite couple tied the knot at the 1200-acre Malabar Farm in Ohio. The property belonged to their friend, novelist Louis Bromfield. Bogart was 44 years old, and Bacall was only 19. Below, the newlyweds smile lovingly at each other while Bacall wears a big orchid bridal bouquet.
The two met on the set of the famous 1944 film, "To Have and Have Not," and went on to act in dozens of classic films after that. They stayed together until Bogart passed away in 1957.
Bette Davis and William Grant Sherry
Famous screen actress Bette Davis and artist and masseur William Grant Sherry look at each other lovingly as they cut their wedding cake at the Mission Inn in Riverside, California. Davis wore a stylish blue suit and a wide-brimmed hat. Grant was Davis’s third husband, whom she wed on November 20th, 1945, and had a daughter with.
Davis was drawn to Sherry because he had no clue that she was a Hollywood actor. He didn’t treat her differently when they first met. Neither was he intimidated by her. It was promising but never meant to be. The couple divorced five years later, in 1950, and Davis went on to remarry her fourth husband that same year.
Judy Garland and Vincente Minnelli
The singing star of "Meet Me in St. Louis" and "The Wizard of Oz," Judy Garland became one of America’s most beloved actresses. She met director Vincente Minnelli on the set of "Meet Me in St. Louis," which he was directing, and the couple got married shortly after in 1945. Garland had just turned 23, and Vincente was 19 years her senior.
Minnelli was the brains behind getting Garland to drop her “girl-next-door” image. He hired a makeup artist to give his wife a makeover. The new, sophisticated Judy Garland began appealing to a wider audience and in came a new world of opportunities. The newlywed couple is seen above while Minnelli romantically kisses his new bride's forehead. They were married at Garland’s mother’s home in Hollywood. They had a daughter Liza Minnelli and finally divorced in 1951.
Shirley Temple and John Agar
Beloved Hollywood child actress Shirley Temple was America’s most famous from 1934 to 1938. Below we see a very young 17-year-old Shirley marrying John Agar, a Sergeant in the U.S. Air Force that was given special leave for his wedding, considering it was 1945 and the middle of the war.
He was seven years her senior, but Sergeant John Agar had fallen hopelessly in love with Temple ever since meeting her at a Beverly Hills party. He proposed just days before her 17th birthday. The golden-curled icon wore a beautiful sky-blue dress and a tiara, and the bright red lipstick topped it off beautifully. The wedding took place at Temple’s family home. In 1950, they divorced, and Shirley remarried.
Josephine Baker and Jo Bouillon
Even though she was born in the U.S., dancer, actress, and singer Josephine Baker adopted France as her home, and her career was mostly in Europe. She became the first black woman to star in a major film back in 1927. Baker married French conductor and violinist Jo Bouillon in 1947, at the Milandes Castle in France, in a white feathered hat and a sheath dress.
The two married at Les Milandes chapel on 3rd June, which also happened to be Baker’s 41st birthday. Bouillon was Baker’s fourth husband, and the two stayed together for 14 years, during which they adopted 12 children. She was already middle‐aged when they married and had seemingly given up on the idea of conceiving biologically.
Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz
The star of "I Love Lucy," beloved comedienne and actress Lucille Ball, was one of the most adored celebrities in Hollywood during the 50s and 60s. Lucille met Cuban actor and bandleader Desi Arnaz at the beginning of 1940 on a movie set. Ball later told a newspaper that meeting him felt like "true love from the start."
The sparks were flying and fast. By the end of the year, Lucille and Desi had eloped and gotten married in Connecticut. The couple separated for a short time in 1944 and then got back together. Thus, they decided to have a big wedding ceremony in 1949 in California. Above, the couple shares a passionate kiss right after tying the knot.
Jimmy Stewart and Gloria McLean
Famous 50s actor Jimmy Stewart was a known bachelor of Hollywood, and he managed to stay that way for many years despite many proposals. However, in 1949, he finally got married to model, actress, and socialite Gloria Hatrick McLean. He had loved and lost multiple times before, but with McLean it was endgame. He described the meeting as “love at first sight.”
When they met, Stewart was the most eligible bachelor in Hollywood while McLean was a divorced mother of two. The two connected despite being at different stages in their respective personal lives. The couple got married at Brentwood Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles. Above we see the newlyweds leave the church, McLean in a beautiful white satin gown and flower headdress. There was a crowd of more than 600 fans waiting outside.
Michael Douglas and Diandra Luker
The famous star of "Basic Instinct," "Fatal Attraction," and 1987’s "Wall Street," Michael Douglas, has been Hollywood royalty for decades. But years before he married the stunning Catherine Zeta-Jones, Michael Douglas tied the knot with film producer Diandra Luker in 1977. She was 19, he was 32, and they were both working on a set.
Luker and Douglas first met at the inauguration ceremony of President Jimmy Carter. They married after a whirlwind romance of a few weeks at the most. Above we see the young, glowing couple smiling for the camera. Diandra wore a classic white dress with a bell skirt and paired it with a chic silver clutch bag. The couple split after 22 years of marriage.
Angela Lansbury and Peter Shaw
The English star of "Murder, She Wrote," Angela Lansbury, had a stellar acting career for over 80 years. Back in 1946, shortly after Lansbury had separated from her first husband, she met actor Peter Shaw at a party in a mutual friend’s house.
The two fell in love almost instantly, dated for a year, moved in together, and finally tied the knot on August 12th, 1949. They got married in London, and Angela wore a beautiful white doeskin and satin gown designed by Calve. She paired it with an impressive flower headdress. The two were together until Shaw’s passing in 2003.
Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher
Beloved American actress Debbie Reynolds started acting in 1948 and didn’t stop for the next seven decades, starring in some of Hollywood’s most classic films. Debbie was a young 23-year-old when she married famous 50s singer Eddie Fisher. The two got married in 1955, after a year of dating, at a mutual friend’s house in New York.
The couple met while entertaining U.S. troops in Korea during the Korean War. They had a happy marriage and two kids, including actress Carrie Fisher, until things went downhill. In what became one of Hollywood’s biggest scandals, Fisher left Reynolds in 1959 to marry Elizabeth Taylor, who was Reynolds’ best friend at the time.
Joan Crawford and Alfred N. Steele
Hollywood actress Joan Crawford started her extremely successful acting career in 1924, and she continued for a whopping five decades. As is common among actors, Crawford had been married three times to fellow actors until 1955, when she went in a completely different direction and tied the knot with business mogul Alfred N. Steele.
After the end of her third marriage, Crawford never thought she would marry again. Wedded bliss seemed far-fetched for an actor like her with a busy schedule. But life ended up surprising her again when she met Steele. The couple eloped to Las Vegas and are seen above happily cutting their wedding cake while Crawford looks at her new husband lovingly. Steele was the CEO of the Pepsi-Cola Company for ten years until his death in 1959.
Henry Fonda and Frances Brokaw
The Fonda patriarch, Henry Fonda, was one of the most famous actors from 1928 through 1982, with a career of more than 50 years. He starred in some of classic Hollywood’s most famous films, such as "Once Upon a Time in the West," "12 Angry Men," "The Grapes of Wrath," and countless more.
As for his love life, Henry Fonda was married five times. His second wife, shown above, was Canadian American socialite Frances Brokaw, with whom he had famous actors Peter and Jane Fonda. The smiling, happy couple got married in New York in 1936 and were together until France’s death in 1950.
Vanessa Williams and Ramon Hervey II
Before she was an actress and singer, the beautiful Vanessa Williams became known for being the first black woman to win the Miss America title back in 1984. Shortly after winning, some lewd photos of her became public, and the scandal was such that she was ultimately forced to give up her title of Miss America.
During the scandal, a public relations professional called Ramon Hervey II was hired to mitigate the situation. He and Vanessa ended up falling for each other and got married three years later, in 1987. They had three kids and a marriage that lasted ten years.
Marlon Brando and Anna Kashfi
One of the most famous and handsome actors in Hollywood history, Marlon Brando, was one of a kind. Acting in some of cinema’s most classic and memorable films, Brando had a career that spanned 60 years. Below we see the young heartthrob getting married to Indian-British actress Anna Kashfi in 1957. Kashfi’s origins are a bit of a mystery. But the story goes that a Paramount executive discovered her at a party when she was 18.
The studio signed her up and it was through Paramount that she first met Brando, who was already an Oscar-winning A-lister by then. The young, elegant couple got married in a quiet ceremony at Brando’s aunt’s house in California. Unfortunately, they had a tumultuous marriage that lasted only two years, finally getting a divorce in 1959 after having a son together.
Diana Ross and Arne Naess
Famous diva Diana Ross made a name for herself with "The Supremes" and then went off to have a very successful solo career. After separating from her first husband, Ross met Norwegian businessman and shipowner Arne Naess while vacationing in the Bahamas. The couple got married in Switzerland’s oldest church, and Diana wore a beautiful silk and lace gown with a gorgeous flower headdress.
The wedding was a big ceremony that included music from 45 choir boys. The couple had two sons and ultimately divorced in 2000. In 2004, Naess passed away in a tragic accident while on a climbing expedition to Groot Drakenstein. Ross shared how she always loved him for his sense of adventure and energy, and for how thoughtful and kind he was to her friends, family, and staff.