Has there ever been a more surprising and world-changing century than the 20th century? Those 10 decades saw revolutions, world wars, technological miracles and terrifying new weapons—but it also saw moments of glamour and celebration that captured global attention. Some of the most iconic among these were weddings that transcended personal unions and became cultural events. Whether royal or celebrity, these seven weddings symbolized beauty, status, love, and sometimes scandal. Here’s a closer look at the most famous weddings of the century and the compelling stories behind them.
Lady Diana Spencer was just 20 years old when she married the 32-year-old Prince Charles, heir to the British throne. Though they first met in 1977—when Diana was only 16 and Charles was dating her older sister—it wasn’t until 1980 that their romantic relationship began in earnest. Their courtship lasted just six months before Charles proposed, and the royal engagement was announced in February 1981.
Their wedding, held on July 29, 1981, at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, was a media spectacle of unprecedented scale. With 3,500 guests in attendance and an estimated global TV audience of 750 million, it was dubbed “the wedding of the century.” Diana’s wedding gown, with its 25-foot train, billowing sleeves, and intricate lace, became instantly iconic and sparked fashion trends across the globe. Although the marriage would eventually dissolve amid scandal and heartbreak, the wedding itself remains one of the most memorable public events in modern royal history. It symbolized a fantasy of royal romance that, for many, seemed straight out of a storybook.
When John F. Kennedy married Jacqueline Bouvier on September 12, 1953, the 36-year-old senator from Massachusetts was already being groomed for higher office, and 24-year-old Jackie was seen as the perfect political partner. The couple met two years earlier at a dinner party hosted by a mutual friend, journalist Charles Bartlett. Their courtship, which played out in elite Washington circles, was relatively private, though Kennedy’s ambitions and the public’s interest in him meant their relationship was closely watched.
Their wedding took place in Newport, Rhode Island, with over 800 guests attending the Catholic mass and over 1,000 joining the reception afterward. Jackie’s gown, made of ivory silk taffeta, featured a portrait neckline and voluminous skirt—designed to impress and rooted in tradition. The event was elegant and extravagant, blending political clout with social grace. In hindsight, the wedding symbolized the beginning of what would later be mythologized as “Camelot”—a glamorous, youthful presidency marked by charm, tragedy, and cultural resonance.
Grace Kelly’s marriage to Prince Rainier III of Monaco was the ultimate real-life fairy tale. The Oscar-winning American actress met Rainier during the 1955 Cannes Film Festival while on a photo shoot organized by Paris Match. Their connection was immediate, and they began corresponding soon after. Despite the long-distance nature of their relationship, it progressed quickly. They were engaged by the end of the year and married less than eight months later.
At the time of the wedding, Grace was 26 and Rainier was 32. The civil ceremony took place on April 18, 1956, followed by a religious ceremony on April 19 at Saint Nicholas Cathedral in Monaco. The wedding was watched by over 30 million people worldwide and was covered by media outlets across the globe. Grace wore a now-legendary gown designed by MGM costume designer Helen Rose, which featured antique lace, pearls, and a full-length veil. The marriage brought Hollywood royalty into actual royalty and symbolized a merging of two powerful cultural worlds. Grace’s transition from movie star to princess enchanted audiences and made their wedding one of the most talked-about events of the decade.
Frank Sinatra’s marriage to Mia Farrow was one of the most talked-about and unconventional celebrity unions of the 1960s. Sinatra, then 50, was an entertainment icon, while Farrow, just 21, was a rising star with a waif-like beauty that defined the era. They met in 1964 and began dating shortly after, sparking endless commentary on their 29-year age gap and contrasting public images.
The couple married on July 19, 1966, in a small, private civil ceremony in Las Vegas. The wedding, while understated, created an enormous media stir. The marriage lasted only two years, ending in 1968, but the connection between them ran deep. Despite their short time together, Farrow later described Sinatra as the love of her life. Their wedding embodied the tension between old-school Hollywood and the emerging counterculture, making it a symbol of the times. As most of you know, Mia later married filmmaker Woody Allen (which is a much longer and more complicated story entirely).
Few Hollywood romances burned as hot—or as publicly—as the relationship between Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. They met on the set of Cleopatra in 1962, where they played lovers Cleopatra and Mark Antony. Both were married at the time, and their passionate affair became tabloid fodder almost immediately. After divorcing their respective spouses, they married on March 15, 1964, in a private ceremony in Montreal.
At the time, Taylor was 32 and Burton was 38. Their marriage wasn’t just a union of two actors—it was the collision of two titanic personalities. Their relationship was intense, glamorous, volatile, and deeply emotional. They divorced in 1974, remarried in 1975, and split again in 1976, making their love story one of Hollywood’s most legendary. Their first wedding was marked by luxury and media frenzy, reflecting the growing obsession with celebrity culture. Even in their turbulence, they represented a powerful bond that fascinated the public.
Audrey Hepburn was one of the most beloved actresses of the 20th century, known for her grace, charm, and timeless beauty. In 1954, at the age of 25, she married actor and director Mel Ferrer, who was 37. They met at a party hosted by Gregory Peck and quickly bonded over a shared love of art, performance, and literature. Their relationship developed quietly over the course of a year, away from the tabloid spotlight.
The wedding took place on September 25, 1954, in the small Swiss village of Bürgenstock. It was a private, elegant affair in keeping with Hepburn’s understated persona. She wore a modest, tea-length dress with a high collar and fitted bodice—a far cry from the extravagant gowns worn by many of her contemporaries. The couple later collaborated professionally and had one son together. Though they divorced in 1968, their wedding remains a meaningful chapter in Hepburn’s story, exemplifying her lifelong preference for sincerity and simplicity over spectacle.
Princess Margaret, the younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II, married photographer Antony Armstrong-Jones on May 6, 1960, at Westminster Abbey. At 29, Margaret was a glamorous and controversial figure, having previously been romantically involved with Group Captain Peter Townsend—a relationship that was ultimately blocked by royal protocol. Her marriage to Antony, who was 30 and a commoner, marked a significant break from tradition and signaled a subtle modernization within the royal family.
The couple had been dating secretly for about two years before announcing their engagement. Their wedding was the first royal ceremony broadcast on television, drawing an audience of roughly 300 million people worldwide. Margaret’s stunning silk organza gown, designed by Norman Hartnell, and the modern aesthetic of the ceremony itself reflected a new kind of royal image—less rigid, more accessible. Although their marriage ended in divorce in 1978, their union marked a turning point for the monarchy in terms of media, image, and tradition.
