Elizabeth Taylor - Wedding #1

I've taken my moniker from Elizabeth Taylor's character Kay Banks in Father of the Bride. Though she was only 17 at the time of filming, it's considered her first "mature" role. I recently re-watched it (along with the follow-up Father's Little Dividend) on AMC and I'm pleased to say that it's as funny as I remember. The comedy holds up really well and Spencer Tracey as the frazzled father is spot-on. Fictional Kay Banks stayed married to her husband Buckley, but the real Elizabeth Taylor has been married eight times.

Elizabeth Taylor's first wedding was on May 6, 1950 to Conrad "Nicky" Hilton, Jr. Yes, that Hilton. She was already an established movie star, and he was one of the first heirs to the Hilton Hotel fortune. So what did a celebrity wedding look like in 1950?

Here she is wearing a $1,500 satin wedding gown that was a gift by MGM studios. $1,500 in 1950!!! According to Inflation Calculator, that dress would cost over $12,000 today.





From Love Tripper: Hollywood tabloids had already breathlessly reported on the star's four carat diamond engagement ring, and now thousands of fans flocked outside the church to catch a glimpse of the actress in her bridal attire. Elizabeth emerged from the limosine in a creation by MGM studio designer Helen Rose-- a white satin confection embellished with seed pearls and beading which had taken a number of workers two months to complete. A sweetheart neckline was covered with a chiffon overlay to reveal just a hint of decolletage [cleavage!]. A three-quarter length veil was attached to a cap garnished with pearls combined with a pearl tiara. To complete the all-white motif, the bride carried a bouquet of white orchids.

The dress is very similar to the one Kay wears in Father of the Bride. It's quite a robust dress - I'm not sure if I could even attempt to look as elegant as she does swathed in fabric up to her chin. But there's no denying that the style is classic and the details are delicate.

Her face is so beautiful. Her eyebrows are shaped perfectly and that short hair really frames her face. The groom looks...a little goofy in this picture, but you can see the excitement. I don't know much about men's attire, but it looks like he's wearing a tie, a white vest, a black topper, and striped pants. I think it's called a morning suit.

To see more of Elizabeth Taylor's first wedding, click here

More of Elizabeth Taylor's weddings to come...

-Kay