The Bridal Affair | English Version: Wedding Bells

The recent release of Sofia Coppola's Priscilla is just further proof that, whether or not we lived through the 60s, almost all of us know something about the legendary Elvis and Priscilla Presley pairing: the king of rock'n'roll met Priscilla at a party in Germany in 1959, when he was doing his military service — he was 24, she was 14. The singer was immediately struck by the then teenager's beauty, and she became a regular at the get-togethers he organized at his home, always with her parents' permission. The relationship, which at first was just a friendship, ended up becoming something more. In 1967, when Priscilla was 21, they married in Las Vegas, and nine months later their first and only child, Lisa Marie Presley, was born. They didn't live "happily ever after" (the divorce came through in 1973, allegedly because of the artist's constant cheating), but they have entered the imagination of the most iconic couples of all time. A list that also includes, for example, John F. Kennedy and his elegant wife, Jacqueline Kennedy. On 12 September 1952, when they tied the knot in Rhode Island in one of the most famous ceremonies of the decade, he was still a senator. However, everyone already knew that his future would be bright. Unfortunately, despite the glamour surrounding Jack and Jackie's union, he was assassinated in 1963. What also goes down in history is the fact that the designer of the wedding dress was a black seamstress, Ann Lowe, a detail that should not be overlooked at a time of intense racial discrimination.

Relationships fray for various reasons, or are plagued by misfortunes of fate, but the initial passion that brings two people together at the moment of "I do" should never be forgotten. What these couples share — what can we say about Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, who were together for over 70 years — is the enviable status of #couplegoals, long before the hashtag even existed. When she married Prince Rainier of Monaco, Grace Kelly stopped being one of Hollywood's greatest actresses and became a real princess, fulfilling the dream of thousands of girls around the world. Bianca and Mick Jagger had a relaxed, bohemian love affair, just like their wedding in St Tropez. And Elizabeth Taylor, who never hesitated to tie the knot — she did it eight times — lived with the belief that love was above all else. Richard Burton, whom she married twice, wrote about what united them: "I am eternally chastised by the gods for having received the fire and tried to put it out. The fire, of course, is you."

Translated from the original in The Bridal Affair, published with The Blossom Issue in March 2024. Full stories and credits in the print version.