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Harper's Bazaar

Grand Unions

From royal nuptials to Hollywood brides, a chic new volume of poignant images looks back over a century of famous weddings.

In glamour and pageantry, a Hollywood wedding stands second only to a royal one. Weddings and Movie Stars is perhaps the ultimate photo album - a compendium of all the hopeful looks, clutched bouquets, countless tiers of cake and layers of tulle from film-star nuptials of the past century. Previously unseen stills of Frank Sinatra and 21-year-old Mia Farrow celebrating at home, and crisp fairy-tale images of the union between Prince Rainier of Monaco and Grace Kelly juxtaposed with memorable scenes from the silver screen. There's an exquisite Audrey Hepburn modelling a bridal gown for a fashion shoot in Funny Face, and Dustin Hoffman's Benjamin Braddock joyfully absconding with Katharine Ross' Elaine Robinson at the close of The Graduate. The most compelling stories, however, are the real-life ones - the mutually beaming Bogie and Bacall on their big day; a radiant Elizabeth Taylor pledging her troth time and again to a series of men; and the devastating Paul Newman, cheek-to-cheek with Joanne Woodward at the start of their 50-year marriage. Keep a lace-edged handkerchief to hand.

01 May, 2011 Naomi West