Top 10 Most Talked about Weddings Ever
#10: Elvis Presley & Priscilla Beaulieu
When Priscilla Beaulieu married Elvis Presley, she crushed the dreams of countless teenage girls across America, claiming the King of Rock n’ Roll for herself. Their wedding was a long time coming - Elvis and Priscilla had met in Germany when she was 14, and rumor has it that when Elvis proposed in 1966, Priscilla had strong-armed him, threatening to otherwise go public about his pursuing her as a minor. However they arrived there, their wedding at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas was one of the biggest stories of 1967. While only 14 guests attended the 8 minute ceremony, Elvis' manager, Colonel Parker, arranged a press conference and maximized the publicity of the occasion.
#9: Angelababy & Huang Xiaoming
In 2015, when two of China’s biggest stars tied the knot, the nation went nuts. Yang Ying, aka Angelababy, aka the "Kim Kardashian of China", is a hugely famous and widely loved singer, actress, and model, while Huang Xiaoming is a similarly high profile Chinese actor, though... nickname-less. Little was kept secret concerning their marriage, which was actually held at the Shanghai Exhibition Centre. They invited over 2000 guests, many of whom are celebrities, and streamed it live online, so it’s little wonder that the media was in a frenzy. All in all, the wedding, which involved a holographic castle, and was compared by many to a fairy tale. The estimated cost? A reported $31 million dollars.
#8: Jacqueline Bouvier & John F. Kennedy
Icons, both of them, John F. Kennedy first met Jackie when he was a congressman. The year after he was elected Senator, they wed, and what a ceremony it was. It makes sense that this one was the talk of the country; even before JFK’s presidency - the Kennedys were arguably the most prolific political family in the nation. In the months leading up to their nuptials, the couple even graced the cover of LIFE magazine. Jackie and John were married in front of 800 guests, with some 2000 supporters waiting outside. At the reception, held at the lavish Hammersmith Farm, hundreds more joined the celebration, making for a 1,200 to 1,300 person guestlist.
#7: Britney Spears & Kevin Federline
Though it may seem like a distant memory now, this relationship was once a huge deal. Media dynamite from the very start; the couple became involved shortly after Federline left actress Shar Jackson, who was pregnant with his second child at the time. They became a tabloid mainstay and the public lapped it up. Then again, it’s not every day that one of the biggest pop stars in the world marries a backup dancer after three months of dating. The fact that the wedding was a surprise, even to guests, made the entire affair even juicier. Thankfully, for those feeling left out, the wedding was chronicled in a reality TV series - Britney and Kevin: Chaotic”.
#6: Victoria Adams & David Beckham
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When two megastars get together, it's hard not to gush over their every move. Victoria Adams, aka Posh Spice, was pop royalty for a large chunk of the ‘90s. Meanwhile, Beckham was one of the biggest stars in football - certainly the biggest to European and American audiences. Posh and Becks, as the media dubbed them, met in ‘97, were engaged in ‘98, and finally wed in 1999 at Luttrellstown Castle in Ireland. Victoria wore a $17,000 dollar coronet and a $100,000 dollar Vera Wang dress. They kept most of the media away through an exclusive access deal the couple struck with OK! Magazine. Still, we have amazing photos to mark the lavish occasion.
#5: Kim Kardashian & Kanye West
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No need to worry about Gold Diggers Kanye, we have a sneaking suspicion Kim K has plenty of money of her own. Kanye and Kim are both known for their love of the spotlight, but based on the way people clamored for details about their wedding, it seems safe to say that the spotlight loves them right back. It's certainly true that Kim invited media attention for her first wedding to NBA player Kris Humphries, but she didn't have to do anything to get cameras pointed on her and Kanye. The wedding photo they released on instagram has earned over 2.5 million likes.
#4: Amal Alamuddin & George Clooney
One's an A-List actor with a long-standing reputation as an eternal bachelor, the other is a high profile lawyer and activist focused on human rights and international law. Not exactly an obvious match… but hey, the mystery only adds to their appeal. And boy, do these two ever have appeal. Despite the strikingly different careers, Clooney and Alamuddin have at least one thing in common - style, which was very apparent at their wedding. The immaculately dressed couple tied the knot on September 27th, 2014, in Venice, and the media was all over it. But with a guest list including John Krasinski, Emily Blunt and Matt Damon, can you blame them?
#3: Grace Kelly & Prince Rainier III
He was a European monarch and she was a beautiful Oscar-winning American actress who became a princess. Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, ruled for nearly 56 years, and he led with grace. Speaking of Grace, Grace Kelly retired from acting at the age of 26 so she could marry our aforementioned Prince. Hollywood royalty marrying actual royalty? It’s little wonder it was dubbed the "Wedding of the Century". When Grace Kelly departed from New York, she was sent off by thousands of waving fans, only to be greeted by a similar crowd when her ship arrived in Monaco. Over April 18th and 19th 1956, she and Rainier were wed in civil and religious ceremonies.
#2: Elizabeth Taylor & Richard Burton
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Not every high profile wedding is treated kindly by the media. Burton was Taylor's fifth husband, and their relationship was controversial to say the least. They met in 1962 while filming Cleopatra, and soon began an affair. At the time however, both Burton and Taylor were both married. Taylor was considered a homewrecker and the two were chastised for "erotic vagrancy" by the Vatican. Nonetheless, Liz and Dick married nine days after Taylor was granted a divorce in a private ceremony, and, well, their marriage only got more and more controversial. A divorce, another marriage, and another divorce made for a very interesting romance, and the press couldn’t get enough of Liz and Dick. Before we unveil our top picks, here are a few honorable mentions. Tom Cruise & Katie Holmes Ellen DeGeneres & Portia de Rossi Kate Moss & Jamie Hince
#1: Lady Diana Spencer & Prince Charles
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Sure, some younger viewers may feel that Prince William and Kate Middleton deserve the number one spot, and their union was certainly monumental. But in terms of royal weddings, nothing can compare to the 1981 marriage of Lady Di and Prince Charles. Intriguing from the start, Diana met Charles when he was dating her sister. He quickly began courting Diana, and they were secretly engaged for weeks before going public. On July 29th, 1981, they were wed in St. Paul's Cathedral. At the time of their marriage, Lady Diana was only twenty years old. The wedding was watched by over 750 million people on television, while the streets were lined with 600,000 people celebrating.
