Old Hollywood was full of glamour, drama, and romance. The stars who lit up the silver screen in the 1940s, 50s, and 60s lived lives just as cinematic off-camera. Their weddings made headlines, and their honeymoons took them to some of the most stunning corners of the world. From the beaches of Cuba to the streets of Paris, these couples marked the start of their marriages in unforgettable style. Here’s a look at where some of the biggest names in Hollywood chose to celebrate their love.
Bette Davis, one of Hollywood’s most celebrated actresses, married artist William Grant Sherry in 1945. The couple kicked off their honeymoon in the vibrant Mexico City before heading to the quiet White Mountains of New Hampshire — a striking contrast that seemed to suit Davis’s bold personality.
Elizabeth Taylor married eight times throughout her life, and her honeymoons were as eventful as her films. Her very first, in 1950, was with Conrad “Nick” Hilton — hotelier and great-uncle of Paris Hilton. The two traveled to Paris for a three-month honeymoon, though it was far from a fairy tale. The couple reportedly fought constantly throughout the trip.
In 1951, two of the biggest names in entertainment became husband and wife. Ava Gardner and Frank Sinatra were one of Hollywood’s most passionate and turbulent couples. After their wedding, they made a stop in Miami before flying to Havana, Cuba — a city known for its music, color, and nightlife, which suited both their personalities perfectly.
Just two years after her first marriage ended, Elizabeth Taylor walked down the aisle again — this time with British actor Michael Wilding in 1952. She returned to the city of her first honeymoon, Paris, but under very different circumstances. Her marriage to Wilding was far calmer than her first, and the two went on to have two children together.
Audrey Hepburn married actor and director Mel Ferrer in 1954. The couple chose to escape to the Italian countryside, renting a private villa just outside of Rome. It was a quiet, romantic retreat that matched Hepburn’s elegant and understated style.
Also in 1954, Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart — one of Hollywood’s most beloved screen pairings — celebrated their marriage with a honeymoon in Newport, California. The coastal setting was a fitting retreat for two stars who had built their romance both on and off the set.
That same year, baseball legend Joe DiMaggio married screen icon Marilyn Monroe. For their honeymoon, the couple traveled to Japan — a destination that turned into more than just a romantic getaway. While there, Monroe took a detour to entertain U.S. troops in Korea, performing for thousands of soldiers in the freezing cold.
Few weddings in history captured the world’s attention quite like the 1956 union of American actress Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier III of Monaco. Their honeymoon was just as grand — a Mediterranean cruise aboard a private yacht called the Deo Juvente II. Along the way, they stopped in Majorca, Spain, where Kelly famously tossed her hat to a matador at a bullfight.
Marilyn Monroe married playwright Arthur Miller in 1956, but the couple waited until 1957 to take their honeymoon. They flew to the Caribbean for a belated celebration — a sun-soaked getaway that marked a different chapter in Monroe’s personal life, far from the Hollywood machine.
French actress Brigitte Bardot married actor Jacques Charrier in 1959 under unusual circumstances — the couple had publicly denied being married just days before the news broke. Once the secret was out, they headed to St. Tropez, France, the sun-drenched coastal town that Bardot herself had helped put on the map.
Elizabeth Taylor’s fourth honeymoon took her to Genoa, Italy in 1959 with singer and actor Eddie Fisher. Their marriage came just eight months after the death of her third husband, producer Mike Todd, who was killed in a plane crash. Taylor had honeymooned with Todd in Acapulco, Mexico, before his sudden death left her widowed.
By 1964, Elizabeth Taylor was on her fifth marriage — this time to Welsh actor Richard Burton, her co-star from the epic film Cleopatra. Their on-set romance had become one of the most talked-about scandals in Hollywood history. The newly married couple chose Toronto, Canada, as the destination for their honeymoon.
In 1965, pop duo Sonny and Cher tied the knot and headed across the Atlantic for their honeymoon in Great Britain. The two were already building their career together and would go on to become one of the most recognizable couples in entertainment throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Rounding out this collection is Liza Minnelli — daughter of Judy Garland and director Vincente Minnelli — who married Australian singer and songwriter Peter Allen in 1967. The newlyweds celebrated in Florida, enjoying the warm weather and sunshine of the Sunshine State as they began their life together.
