Priscilla Presley wore a beautiful beaded chiffon gown with lace sleeves for her 1967 wedding to Elvis Presley.
When Priscilla Presley married Elvis Presley on May 1, 1967, she chose a fairly traditional bridal look for their Las Vegas ceremony. The wedding took place in a private suite at the Aladdin Hotel and was a brief affair lasting only eight minutes. However, the reception that followed was lavish, featuring a six-tier cake costing $3,200.
While Elvis donned a custom-made brocade silk tuxedo, Priscilla’s wedding dress was a white chiffon gown purchased from a local department store. The dress, which reached the floor, had an empire waist, lace sleeves, and delicate pearl embellishments. Despite its simplicity, this gown has become one of the most iconic bridal looks, helping to cement Priscilla as a 1960s style icon. In fact, their wedding attire was so memorable that Mattel released Barbie dolls of the couple in 2008, dressed in their wedding outfits.
Shopping for the Wedding Dress in Secret
Priscilla had to be creative to keep her wedding plans with Elvis a secret. In a video for Vogue, she shared how she went shopping for her wedding dress in disguise. She enlisted Charlie Hodge, a musician and vocal coach who worked with Elvis, to pose as her fiancé during the shopping trip.
“We wanted our wedding to be a private affair with our friends, free from paparazzi,” Priscilla explained. To achieve this, she wore glasses to hide her identity and went into a bridal shop with Hodge. “I would try on a dress, come out, and ask Charlie, ‘What do you think, darling? Do you like it?’ making it look like we were the ones getting married.”
The Dress Was Bought Off-the-Rack
During her shopping trip, Priscilla visited several department stores, including Neiman Marcus, before finally finding her dress at a shop called Westwood. She chose a beaded chiffon gown that was available off-the-rack and only needed one fitting.
“It wasn’t extravagant or extreme; it was simple and beautiful,” Priscilla said later. “I didn’t have time to search forever. I had one fitting and then I was done.”
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Choosing a Lightweight Dress
Priscilla’s wedding dress featured an empire waistline and a free-flowing silhouette, a style popular among brides in the 1960s. She told Vogue that she was drawn to the dress because it was feminine, lightweight, and perfectly matched Elvis’s suit.
Simple Accessories for a Classic Look
Priscilla kept her accessories understated to complement her elegant gown. Instead of a long veil, she wore a three-foot tulle veil secured by a rhinestone tiara. Her bridal makeup was more dramatic, with her signature beehive hairstyle and winged eyeliner reflecting the beauty trends of the ’60s.
The Dress on Display and in Pop Culture
After Graceland opened to the public in 1982, Priscilla and Elvis’s wedding outfits were displayed in the Trophy Building. The gown attracted thousands of viewers each year, contributing to Graceland’s status as one of the most visited homes in the U.S.
The dress was recreated for the 2023 film “Priscilla,” directed by Sofia Coppola. Elvis costume designer Catherine Martin and her team used detailed photos from the archives to recreate Priscilla’s gown, ensuring it was as close to the original as possible. Similarly, costume designer Stacey Battat worked with Chanel to create their version of the iconic dress, using numerous photos from the wedding day as references.
FAQs
What type of dress did Priscilla Presley wear for her wedding? Priscilla Presley wore a white chiffon gown with an empire waist, lace sleeves, and pearl embellishments.
Where did Priscilla Presley buy her wedding dress? She purchased her wedding dress off-the-rack from a shop called Westwood, after visiting several department stores, including Neiman Marcus.
Why did Priscilla shop for her wedding dress in disguise? To keep her wedding to Elvis Presley a secret and avoid media attention, Priscilla shopped for her dress in disguise with Charlie Hodge posing as her fiancé.
How did Priscilla accessorize her wedding dress? Priscilla wore a three-foot tulle veil held by a rhinestone tiara, opting for simple yet elegant bridal accessories.
Has Priscilla Presley’s wedding dress been displayed publicly? Yes, after Graceland opened in 1982, Priscilla’s wedding dress was displayed in the Trophy Building at the estate.
Was Priscilla’s wedding dress recreated for any films? Yes, the dress was recreated for Sofia Coppola’s 2023 film “Priscilla” using detailed photos from the archives to ensure accuracy.