10 celebrity weddings through the ages to inspire brides-to-be

Contemplating an intimate gathering in your humble abode or a lavish reception in the pulse of the metropolis? If you're busy discussing vows and arrangements, here's your celeb dose of inspiration. We look back at some of the most stylish Nordic weddings of yesteryear to inspire your own big day.

Ingrid Bergman’s name echoes throughout Scandinavia as one of the sartorial icons of the 1940s. With a charming, rebellious spirit, the Swedish actress famously paved the way for a new aesthetic ideal by refusing to conform to the beauty standards of the time. Bergman’s authenticity was already in bloom when, at age 21, she married dentist Petter Lindström in an intimate ceremony in Stöde, an area renowned for its idyllic landscapes. The actress dazzled in a long-sleeve silk gown accessorised with a beaded Juliet cap and a shower bouquet of lilies.

Norwegian-born figure skater Sonja Henie was often found standing on the winning podium. Not only was she a three-time Olympic gold medalist, Henie was a ten-time world champion and a six-time European champion. In 1949, she took centre stage on the altar alongside sportsman-aviator Winthrop Gardiner Jr.

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The pair tied the knot during a seven minute ceremony at Park Avenue Methodist Church followed by a glamorous reception at Hotel Plaza. With over 400 guests watching in awe, the duo used a sword-like knife to cut their seven-tier wedding cake, iced in pale blue to match Henie’s net and lace gown, which she styled with a plush feather head-piece and an abundance of pearl accessories. A live orchestral rendition of Al Bowlly’s 'I Love You Truly' echoed through the ballroom as the newlyweds took their first dance.

It's often been said that Anita Ekberg is Sweden’s answer to Marilyn Monroe, popularising Hollywood glam and cinched-in waists with her impressive cinematic moments. When the Swedish actress was set to wed her beau Anthony Steel, they took to Florence for a whimsical ceremony amid grand historical surroundings officiated by Menotti Riccioli. With a low-key posy of flowers in hand and a head of soft voluminous curls, Ekberg wore an off-the-shoulder tea-length dress skimming just above the ankles, a modern silhouette of the time. Characteristic of Ekberg, her bridal ensemble was accessorised with a crystal-embellished belt at the waist.

With close ties to Coco Chanel and Pierre Cardin, Danish-French actress and model Anna Karina embodied an iconic on-screen style, influencing the ever-Nordic monochromatic minimalism and Mod style of the 1960s. In a way, meeting her future partner was seemingly written in the stars. Karina met her husband, legendary French film director Jean-Luc Godard, through the booming world of cinema.

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The couple married in an intimate ceremony in downtown Paris. For the occasion, the bride wore a knee-length white satin gown with elaborate shoulders and nipped-in waist. The pièce de résistance, however, was the tulle overskirt (matching her veil) and a pair of white slippers. Adding to the star quality of the wedding, the couple's photos were taken by Agnès Varda.

With fluttering blue eyes, billowing blonde locks and an impressive palette for 1960s fashion, Britt Ekland is one Sweden's most famous actresses of all time and, most notably, Scandinavia’s first Bond girl. A decade before her 007 debut in the 1974 blockbuster The Man with the Golden Gun, Ekland met famed actor Peter Sellers on a trip to England. Just 10 days later, the couple exchanged wedding vows in an intimate ceremony deep in the English countryside at Arlington House.

Ekland arrived accompanied by her Swedish parents in a black Rolls Royce, wearing a black diamond mink coat over her Norman Hartnell wedding dress, decorated with floral embroidery and paired with a dainty petal hat. Equally immaculate, Sellers wore a suit with tapered trousers, impressing hundreds of onlookers who hoped to catch a glimpse of the star couple.

Often seen behind a microphone wearing high-platform boots in matching bedazzled ensembles, Björn and Agnetha, half of pop quartet ABBA, determined to look a little different come their big day. Before the band became a dazzling household name, Björn and Agnetha enjoyed a romance that began in their teenage years. In 1971, the couple pulled off the platform boots and wriggled out of their flares to finally say “I do” in a humble countryside wedding.

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Fältskog wore a simple white gown with long sleeves, a high neck and a floral headpiece, an outfit beautifully complemented by Ulvaeus' traditional and no-fuss suit and tie. After exchanging rings, the couple enjoyed a horse carriage ride before an evening reception at Wittjöhus Castle. Some 40 guests joined for a night of dancing including none other than future bandmate, Benny, who had earlier played the organ at the church.

The Crown Prince of Sweden and Silvia Sommerlath met at the Munich Olympics in 1972 , where the young Brazilian-German interpreter was acting as host to the Swedish Prince. During their short time together, love quickly blossomed. In the summer of 1976 at Storkyrkan Cathedral in Stockholm, the smitten couple exchanged vows in one of the most memorable royal weddings of the century.

Sommerlath wore a modest silk duchesse gown designed by Christian Dior’s Marc Bohan, with a high neck, simple seaming and bell sleeves. Underneath the Cameo Tiara and a lace veil that previously belonged to Queen Sofia, the bride wore small pearl earrings and clutched a dainty bouquet of flowers. The ceremony was preceded with a concert by ABBA, who performed 'Dancing Queen' as a tribute and celebration to Sommerlath, Sweden’s future queen.

Björn Borg is widely considered one of the greatest sportsmen of all time, winning a myriad of major titles and with a string of record-breaking achievements to his name. Three years prior to becoming world number one, he married Mariana Simionescu, a fellow tennis player hailing from Romania. The dynamic duo wed in Bucharest during a whirlwind summer ceremony, with over 4,000 onlookers and a sea of photographers hoping to catch a glimpse.

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Characteristic of 1980s fashion, the bride exhibited a stunning display of style, wearing a beautifully sculpted embroidered gown. The dress was designed with a subtle v-neck, sharp shoulders, a cinched waistline and voluptuous skirt, nodding to humble traditions with a modern twist. Simionescu accessorised with a pearl necklace and a floral headpiece attached to a lace-trimmed veil, a bridal style that seemingly set the tone for weddings in the 1980s.

Born in Denmark in 1963, Brigitte Nielsen was an ambitious starlet determined to obtain a certain calibre of fame and fortune in Hollywood. At just 22 years old, the young Danish actress contacted Sylvester Stallone by sending him a photo of herself along with a note to his hotel door. Nielsen’s attempt to court the acclaimed actor was, in his eyes, nothing short of charming; shortly after their introduction, the pair exchanged wedding vows surrounded by friends in the home of film producer Irwin Winkler, nestled in Beverly Hills.

Designing her very own bespoke gown, Nielsen entranced the guests with her elaborate bridal attire; she dazzled in an ivory silk bodycon dress, intricately crafted with fitted sleeves and exaggerated shoulders in a floral lace overlay. The bride accessorised with a jewel-beaded headpiece, and to top it all off, a flush of bubblegum pink on the lips and a smudge of aquamarine shadow on the eye.

Over the past decade, Holzweiler has steadily evolved into one of Norway’s greatest fashion successes, one with family and love at the very core. Co-founder Andreas Holzweiler met his wife, Maria Skappel, when she was working as a designer for another Nordic fashion brand, on a photoshoot in the charming island region of Lofoten in northern Norway. When she joined Holzweiler in 2012, she also took the family name, marrying Andreas during an intimate ceremony in Bekkelaget Church in the outskirts of Oslo.

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Maria wore a floral-inspired wedding dress designed by Leila Hafzi. Mesh floral details laced the skirt which extended into a train. Andreas also incorporated flowers into his suit, pinning a white floral broach onto his collar.