While Elizabeth Taylor’s love life was one of the most publicized of the 20th century, her chapter with frequent costar and two-time husband Richard Burton stands out the most. The couple collaborated on more than 10 films together, two of which included the infamously beleaguered 1964 film “Cleopatra” and 1966’s “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” Their two weddings and marriages were just as famous as their onscreen performances.
Burton and Taylor met on the set of “Cleopatra,” beginning an affair, and were married twice: in 1964 and in 1975. The early stages of the couple’s relationship caused such a stir that even the Vatican got involved, rebuking the couple and calling for Taylor’s children to be taken from her.
Burton and Taylor’s relationship was brought into focus and chronicled in HBO’s 2024 documentary series “Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes,” which re-evaluated how Taylor was treated by the media at the height of her fame. WWD breaks down the details behind their marriages, the fashion and the engagement jewelry ahead.
1964 Wedding
Burton and Taylor tied the knot (for the first time) on March 15, 1964, in Montreal. The couple was joined by Burton’s personal secretary and friend Jim Benton, who served as the actor’s best man for the nuptials.
The Engagement Ring…or Brooch
“Richard was so romantic that he’d use any excuse to give me a piece of jewellery,” Taylor wrote in her memoir “Elizabeth Taylor: My Love Affair With Jewellery.” Indeed, Taylor was quite the collector of fine jewels, from her various engagement rings to necklaces brooches, tiaras and more.
When Burton first popped the question to Taylor, instead of offering the actress a ring, Burton gave Taylor a Bulgari emerald brooch, seen in photos from the couple’s March 1964 wedding day. Over the course of their marriage(s), Burton purchased several jewelry pieces for his wife, including a 32-carat Burmese sapphire pendant, and the famous Krupp diamond, which he purchased in 1968.
The Dress
More of a trendsetter than trend-follower, Taylor eschewed bridal white for a burst of yellow on her 1964 wedding day. The actress’ dress was designed by five-time Oscar-winning costume designer Irene Sharaff. The two had already worked closely together on the intrepid production of “Cleopatra,” the 1964 film that brought Taylor and Burton together.
Sharaff crafted an empire-waisted, golden-yellow dress, which C. David Heymann wrote in “Liz: An Intimate Biography of Elizabeth Taylor” was a take on a costume Taylor wore in an early “Cleopatra” scene she shared with Burton.
The Hair
If there was anything quintessentially ’60s about Taylor’s 1964 wedding to Burton, it was likely her hairstyle. The actress wore her hair in bouffant with a long braid flowing down her back. White hyacinths and lilies of the valley cascaded throughout Taylor’s ‘do, which ushered in the flower power movement of the late ’60s and early ’70s.
1975 Wedding
After 10 years of marriage, Taylor and Burton divorced in 1974. Their separation, however, was quite short-lived and the two consequently reunited and got married again in October 1975, roughly 16 months after their first divorce was finalized.
For their second nuptials, the couple jet-set to the riverbank of the Chobe Game Reserve in Botswana, South Africa. Like her 1964 wedding dress, Taylor went unconventional and colorful, wearing a long green caftan embellished with avian patterns.
The dress was, in many ways, the perfect amalgamation of Taylor’s style. While speaking to the trends of the ’70s, marked by flowing fabric and freedom, it was still elegant and glamorous with a hint of rebelliousness.