Celebrity weddings are not only lavish and fantastical, but they also become iconic moments in culture.
From over-the-top looks like custom designer wedding dresses and megawatt jewelry to the merging of different worlds, from athletes and reality TV stars to actors and musicians, these moments have influenced culture through the ages.
Perhaps the biggest example is the cultural impact of the world's most important royal weddings, starting with Queen Elizabeth's marriage to Prince Philip of Greece in 1947, through the fairytale wedding of her son Prince Charles to Diana Spencer, the subsequent marriage of their children Prince William to Kate Middleton, and finally Meghan Markle to Prince Harry in 2018. These moments were viewed by record-breaking audiences in real time and were followed by a cult following in the Netflix series The Crown.
The same can be said for Pamela Anderson, who married Kid Rock in a white bikini, and Priscilla Presley, a former bride to Elvis Presley, who got married in Las Vegas, now a popular location for elopements.
Similarly, over the past decade, several celebrity weddings have become internet sensations, including those of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, Hailey and Justin Bieber, Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker, and Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas.
These cultural milestones not only get brides-to-be in the mood, but also provide an opportunity for fashion brands to enter the wedding industry – case in point: Sarah Burton's consolidation of power at Alexander McQueen, one of fashion's worst-kept secrets in recent years, dressed Kate Middleton for her wedding, while Meghan Markle also dressed Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy.
