Elizabeth Taylor, Wedding Icon, Dies at 79

Posted by Charli Michie | Posted in Wedding Fashion Avenue | Posted on 23-03-2011

Dame Elizabeth Taylor, who was just as famous for her eight marriages as she was for her 54 movies, died Wednesday of congestive heart failure, sources report. Taylor had been battling the condition at Cedars-Sinai Hospital, in Los Angeles, for the past two months. She has four children, 10 grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

And while we remember her for her glamorous good-looks and classic films, we also can’t help but remember her life as a wedding icon. Liz Taylor was married eight times, and set to get married a ninth, it was rumored. So as we remember this screen legend, we take a look back at each of her fabulous marriages.

Father of the Bride. (1) In the same year that Taylor married her first husband, she also skyrocketed into Hollywood fame for her portrayal as the original Kay Banks in Father of the Bride. The film won her plenty of acclaim for acting, and cemented her status as a head-turning heartthrob too.

First marriage: Conrad “Nicky” Hilton (1950-1951). (2) Liz’s first marriage was to “Nicky” Hilton, the great-grandfather of socialites Paris and Nicky Hilton. Liz Taylor’s wedding dress was remarkably similar to the one she wore in Father of the Bride. In fact, the gown was designed by Helen Rose, an MGM studio designer. The white satin dress included seed pearls and beading which had taken a number of workers two months to complete. Her sweetheart neckline was covered with a chiffon overlay, and a three-quarter length veil attached to a lace cap that trimmed with pearls. She also wore a pearl tiara and carried a bouquet of white orchids.

Second marriage: Michael Wilding (1952-1957). (3) Just a year later, Taylor walked down the aisle for a second time, this time marrying English actor, Michael Wilding. For this union, she wore a much more subdued dress, and small lace cap, carrying a much smaller bouquet of white flowers. Crowds still flocked to see the two after the ceremony.

Third marriage: Michael Todd (1957-1958). (4) Taylor was swept off her feet for her third marriage to Braodway producer Mike Todd. For this wedding, she donned a wedding gown with a high collar. Todd died in 1958, leaving Taylor a widow.

Fourth marriage: Eddie Fisher (1959-1964). (5) It was the marriage that rocked Holloywood at the time — Fisher left his wife, Debbie Reynolds, and two children, to marry Liz in a Las Vegas wedding. For this wedding, she donned a green chiffon gown with a wrap around her head.

Fifth marriage: Richard Burton (1964-1974). (6) It was during this time that Taylor met Burton on the set of “Cleopatra.” The two were soon madly in love and after their divorces from their respective spouses, they wed in 1964. For this wedding, Taylor wore a short yellow chiffon dress and wore an intricate floral headpiece.

Sixth marriage: Richard Burton (1975-1976). (7) Think of this as a sort of vow renewal. Taylor and Burton stayed married for 10 years, then split for a year, and then remarried in a nontraditional ceremony in Botswana. The private wedding was conducted by an African district minister and witnessed by the manager of the game lodge where the two were staying. At the time, the BBC reported, “The bride wore green, with lace frills and guinea fowl feathers.” Burton wore a red shirt, white pants and red socks.

Seventh marriage: John Warner (1976-1982). (8) Unfortunately, Taylor’s union to Burton didn’t last a second time either, and the two parted ways for good in 1976. It was at this point, that Taylor seemed to quit dating Hollywood actors and instead settled on dating a Republican politician, John Warner (there don’t seem to be any wedding photos available of this one, so we’ve settled for the above image instead). Taylor once said, “Being a senator’s wife is not easy… It’s very lonely. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.”Eighth marriage: Larry Fortensky 1991-1996). (9) Taylor’s last marriage was to Larry Fortensky, a construction worker she’d met while they were both undergoing treatment at the Betty Ford Clinic. The two married in 1991 at Michael Jackson’s ranch. In 1995 they separated and in 1996, filed for divorce.

In recent years, Taylor had reportedly been dating Jason Winters, a 49-year-old businessman. She described him as “one of the most wonderful men I’ve ever known,” according to CBS. Tell us, how will you remember Dame Elizabeth Taylor? For her weddings? For her movies? And which dress — so many non traditional choices — do you like best?

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