Eva Longoria appointed famous fashion designer and close friend, Victoria Beckham, when it came to choosing her wedding dress, and she couldn’t have picked a better dress if she tried. The simple white gown fit the Desperate Housewives star perfectly when she married for the third time to José Bastón. It was also quite the contrast to her choice of wedding dress to her marriage previously to Tony Parker. Eva and José married in 2016 and have since welcomed their first child together, a son named Santiago Enrique Bastón.

For her wedding to songbird and piano player John Legend, former Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition model Chrissy Teigen wore not one, not two, but a grand total of THREE separate Vera Wang gowns. Bearing in mind that the iconic wedding dress designer’s frocks range from $8K to $23K, it’s safe to say that Chrissy spent more than a pretty penny on her wedding looks. We especially love the drama of this particular dress. She looks like a princess!

Leave it to Celine Dion to have the most eccentric wedding gown and headpiece. Dion married the late René Angélil in 1994 in this extravagant gown. The gown is estimated to have cost Dion a whopping $25,000 back then, and took over 1,000 hours to make. It features Italian silk and French lace, and the 7-pound tiara has 2,000 Austrian crystals.

When talking about her wedding, reality TV star Whitney Port said, “We wrote our own vows and had members of our family marry us, we didn’t do a sit down dinner because we are way more casual than that and wanted everyone to have little bites of everything, including all of our favorite things like a bread bar! We named cocktails after our nicknames for each other, we choose all the music by making a playlist for the two years we were engaged.”

R&B songstress Ciara and her husband, Seattle Seahawks football player Russell Wilson, indulged every little girl’s fairytale wedding fantasy when they held their nuptials at the medieval Peckforton Castle in Cheshire, United Kingdom. The pair flew in 100 of their closest family members and friends along with Pastor Judah Smith to perform the ceremony. The bride wore a stunning custom gown with gorgeous lace accents by Roberto Cavalli Couture. Ciara’s son, Future Zahir, even served as the ring bearer for the lovebirds.

Chanel Iman and Sterling Shepard got married at the Beverly Hills Hotel just three short months after getting engaged. The star-studded crowd is exactly what you would expect for one of the world’s most in-demand supermodels and the New York Giants’ wide receiver – Chrissy Teigen, Gabrielle Union, Odell Beckham Jr., Tiffany Haddish, and Shanina Shaik all attended! Chanel chose a Zuhair Murad gown: “I feel very lucky to have gotten married in one of his gorgeous creations.”

Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen and football quarterback Tom Brady are one of the power couples of the century. It’s hard to believe the dynamic duo have already been married for ten years, and have a daughter, Vivian, and a son, Benjamin. Recently, to mark their anniversary on Instagram, Gisele posted: “I love learning and growing with you. Happy anniversary love of my life! Te amo muito!” The last part of her message, in her native Portugese, means “I love you very much.”

California native Lauren Conrad rose to fame on Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County and its spin-off, The Hills. Lauren had a staggering ten -that’s right, ten – bridesmaids by her side on her special day. Why such a large number? Isn’t it improper wedding etiquette? “It’s really a personal choice,” she said. “I think as long as the number doesn’t distract from the nuptials, you’re fine. Also if you have a large group, having them sit during the ceremony works well,” she added.

Sofia Vergara looked absolutely stunning in a bridal gown by Zuhair Murad, a top choice for many of the celebrity brides on this list. The Colombian born actress, who rose to fame on the sitcom Modern Family, had a fairytale wedding to Magic Mike beefcake Joe Manganiello. No expense was spared for the big day, which brought the total cost of the wedding up to a whopping $3 million. The ceremony was held at Breakers Palm Beach resort in Florida.

For her Italian nuptials to rapper Kanye West, Kim Kardashian chose a fairly conservative floor-length gown. She looked stunning!

She might not be married to Prince William, but Pippa Middleton’s wedding was (nearly) as big as her royal sister Kate’s. The day that she tied the knot with James Matthews, Pippa arrived at St Mark’s Church in Englefield, Berkshire, England, wearing a beautiful dress with a high neck and an ivory gown. With bespoke lace that added to the fine detail of the gown, Pippa was guaranteed to stand out from the crowd on her big day.

Some of the most iconic bride gowns that Carolina Herrera has designed have included those of Jessica Simpson and Idina Menzel. Another actress who got the five-star treatment from Herrera was Renee Zellweger. The star of Bridget Jones’ Diary wore her stunning dress on her wedding day in 2005 with many loving the minimalist style of her dress. The photos of her beach wedding with Kenny Chesney were stunning. However, the couple had an annulment just four months later.

Kate Upton married Justin Verlander in a romantic Tuscan wedding in November 2017, and the actress, as ever, was a vision in white on her big day. The actress and Sports Illustrated model couldn’t hide her happiness as she walked hand-in-hand with her new husband, and her smile went perfectly with her gorgeous dress. Kate opted for a more classic, long-sleeved lace Valentino gown, with a long white veil, and a bouquet of peach, light pink, and ivory flowers.

Britney Spears shocked the world when she married her back-up dancer Kevin Federline. But you may not know that she was the one who actually proposed! “Then all of a sudden I said, ‘What if you want to get married?’ And I kind of went from there to asking him if he would marry me. I asked him… He said no because he thought it wasn’t the right way to do it.” A week later, Kevin bought Britney a ring.

They have just recently celebrated their third wedding anniversary, but on July 10, 2015, Nicky Hilton shone in this elegant white, lace gown when she was set to wed James Rothschild. The couple got married at The Orangery in Kensington Palace Gardens in London, England, and Nicky wore this Valentino Haute Couture gown pictured below, which set the socialite back $77,000. Meanwhile, Nicky is heir to the Hilton Hotel empire, and James Rothschild is a member of the wealthy Rothschild family.

When you’re marrying Hollywood’s most eligible bachelor (who has been the pursuit of actresses for decades), you better look stunning on your wedding day – and that’s exactly what Amal Alamuddin did! The celebrated Lebanon-born, London-based human rights lawyer made it clear exactly why George Clooney decided to finally settle down. The bride looked like a fairytale princess in a custom gown by Oscar De La Renta. For the reception, she switched into a cascading red Dolce & Gabanna gown.

Victoria’s Secret supermodel Miranda Kerr found the man of her dreams in Snapchat founder and CEO Evan Spiegel. The bride wore a custom gown by famed French design house Dior Haute Couture. It was the second trip down the aisle for Miranda, who had previously been wed to actor Orlando Bloom. The couple had a low-key affair at their home in Los Angeles in front of 45 of their closest friends and family members. The couple shares one child.

Hey, Victoria and David Beckham, the 1990’s called, and they want their…everything back! The couple married back in 1998 Luttrellstown Castle, Ireland. The Bishop of Cork conducted the ceremony, which cost millions of dollars. All jokes aside, the power couple, consisting of one of the most highly paid soccer players in the world and the singer-turned-fashion icon formerly known as Posh Spice, is still going strong more than two decades later. The couple has four children together.

Yes, this is Kim Kardashian’s second appearance on the list. Though we strongly prefer her iconic look in a Vera Wang gown during her wedding to rap superstar Kanye West, we can’t forget her first wedding to NBA player Kris Humphries. The marriage only lasted for 72 days, but Kim still went all out on the special day – the ceremony cost upwards of $10 million. Kris gave Kim a 20-carat, $2 million engagement ring that had to be transported via an armored truck.

Kaley Cuoco previously got married wearing a pink, princess-like, gown, but unfortunately, that marriage was not to last. The Big Bang Theory actress recently wed for the second time, and this time she wore a custom-made Reem Acra 1920s inspired gown. The lace detailing and the way it fit perfectly on the actress made this one of the most beautiful wedding gowns. In fact, it took 50 yards of pure silk chiffon and ten seamstresses who hand embroidered the gown, to get this perfect finish.

Reality stars Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt shocked fans when they eloped in Mexico in 2008. But, as expected for these two fame-hungry pop culture personalities, they had a second, televised wedding (which was shown on The Hills) in Pasadena a few months later. Lauren Conrad, Heidi’s former best friend and co-star, attended the wedding amid speculation that she wouldn’t show up, since she famously didn’t get along with Spencer. Lauren allegedly “had a fit” at her friend’s nuptials.

Actress Jessica Biel opened up to Elle magazine about her wedding dress: “I wanted the dress to be very romantic and feminine and a shape that I very rarely wear. I have never been crazy about all-white wedding dresses, for me at least. [Giambattista Valli] had created that same fabric in a fuchsia-and-pink combination for a dress in a previous collection, and I asked him if he could create that same pattern in a white combination, and he suggested pink.”

Snooki – real name Nicole Polizzi – married her husband in front of 500 guests. Of her big day, she said, “I had the worst jitters. I was nervous, I had to have a little vodka. I was like, ‘Where’s my vodka? I need my nerves to calm down.”‘ She added, ‘It was honestly the best day of my life. I want to renew my vows next year just so I can have a wedding again and relive that experience because it was so amazing.”

Grammy award-winning songstress Christina Aguilera married her manager Jordan Bratman at the age of 24. However, things didn’t last for the couple after their $3 million Santa Barbara ceremony. In an interview about the breakup with People Magazine, Christina explained “I’ve grown as a woman and he’s grown as a person. We were both looking for different things. We just weren’t right for each other. I couldn’t face living another five years together and feeling that I wasted that time being unhappy.”

Allison Williams married Ricky Van Veen in 2015 and chose Oscar de la Renta when it came to her wedding dress designer. Best known for her role in the hit HBO series, Girls, Allison and her new husband had invited guests to the Brush Creek Ranch in Wyoming and she chose Peter Copping as her dress designer. She said she had one request for Copping, who she knew would be the best man for the job, stating, “I wanted sleeves because I’m always cold.”

Ashlee Simpson is another bride who chose to stay away from tradition when it came to her wedding dress. In fact, the American singer chose a Houghton Bride crop top, bralette, and lace skirt, when she married Evan Ross in 2014. Evan Ross is an actor known for his role in The Hunger Games, while also being the son of the very famous singer, Diana Ross. Shortly after the couple celebrated their year anniversary, they welcomed a daughter named Jagger Snow Ross.

Arlenis Sosa proved she was every inch a supermodel when she married basketball player Donnie McGrath in 2015. The couple married in the model’s native home of the Dominican Republic, where they invited 150 guests to watch them say their vows in a beach ceremony. Arlenis shined in this Reem Acra dress, which fit her model figure to a tee. The design consisted of a lace top with a simple and elegant finish. The bride looked sensational as she walked down the aisle with her veil blowing behind her.

Gabrielle Union has graced the silver screen time and time again, looking effortlessly beautiful every time. Once again, the famous actress was a vision when she married Dwayne Wade in 2014. This was the second marriage for the Bad Boys II star, and she chose to wear a custom Dennis Basso for the occasion. Dwayne was already a father of three at the time of marrying Gabrielle, and the new bride chose her step-sons to walk with her down the aisle.

Jamie Lynn Spears, who rose to fame as Britney Spears’ younger sister, shocked the world when she became pregnant at the age of 16. At this time, her popular television series, Zoey 101, had to be canceled, but Jamie Lynn welcomed a beautiful baby girl named Maddie. In 2014, Jamie proved she was all grown up when she married Jamie Watson in New Orleans. The former child star wore Liancarlo for her big day and had Maddie as her bridesmaid.

When Jamie Chung married Bryan Greenberg in 2015, the actress wore two dresses. The former reality television personality wore a Jonathan Simkhair gown for pre-vow photos, and then Monique Lhuillier for the ceremony. The couple exchanged their vows on Halloween in front of their family and friends at El Capitan Canyon in Santa Barbara, California. In fact, the wedding was a three-day event and started with a welcome dinner on Friday night in the woods where guests were encouraged to wear costumes.

When Anna Camp and Skylar Astin married in 2016, it sent Pitch Perfect fans into a frenzy. The co-stars began dating in 2013 before officially tying the knot three years later. They invited their guests to watch them exchange their vows at an outdoor ceremony on the central California coast, including their Pitch Perfect co-stars. Anna Camp wore a Reem Acra dress with Vince Camuto shoes and Neil Lane jewels. The couple had seven groomsmen and bridesmaid, with one being fellow co-star, Brittany Snow.

It was the moment everyone was waiting for and, on May 19, the world finally got their glimpse of the wedding dress Meghan Markle chose to wear to marry Prince Harry. The new Duchess of Sussex chose designer Clare Wright Keller, who is the first female artistic director at the house of Givenchy. The famous French house seems to be a favorite of Meghan Markle, who has chosen to go from an actress and public figure to a member of the British Royal family.

After meeting on the set of Mr. & Mrs. Smith, a whirlwind romance fighting tabloid rumors and the paparazzi, and adopting several children, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt finally tied the knot at Chateau Miraval in France after nine years of dating. The ceremony was held in front of an intimate crowd of just 22 of the couple’s closest friends and family. Angelina’s dress featured illustrations by all of her children and was a uniquely beautiful homage to her family.

In order to officially quiet the rumors about her love life, Robbie posted a photo on Instagram with her newlywed husband and her beautiful wedding ring! However, photos from the wedding that leaked showed Robbie walking down the aisle with a pageboy by her side. Although it was just the upper torso of her dress that was revealed, it showed a gorgeous cream lace off-the-shoulder gown. It is reported that it was originally her mother’s dress and had been modified for Robbie’s wedding.

She has walked many runways and is one of the beautiful Angels from Victoria’s Secret, so it is no surprise that Shanina Shaik looked like the most beautiful bride on her wedding day. The model recently married DJ Ruckus in a private beach ceremony in the Bahamas wearing a bohemian style dress. Looking elegant and chic in white on her big day, Shanina had enlisted the husband-and-wife team at Ralph & Russo to help create her dream dress in just eight months.

When socialite Nicole Richie married Joel Madden in 2010, she chose to go for this unique style of dress. While she has been known to have gone slightly over the top in her younger, wilder days, Richie seemed to have had her own vision when choosing this dress. Regardless of people’s thoughts on this dress, the mother of two has since created her own successful fashion line, House of Harlow, so has proven she knows a thing or two when it comes to style.

Back before Tristan Thompson, Khloe Kardashian married NBA player Lamar Odom just one month after the couple met. Keeping Up With The Kardashians and the E! TV network paid for the wedding, which was estimated to have cost more than $1 million – chump change for a Kardashian. The couple made $300,000 by selling the exclusive rights to their wedding photos to OK! Magazine. Khloe rocked a tiered strapless Vera Wang gown with purple tints that showed off her hourglass figure.

Reality TV star Audrina Patridge married longtime beau Corey Bonahan in Hawaii, just a few months after giving birth to their daughter. Her wedding dress designer was based in Australia and explained, “It was just by luck that we were going to New York for Bridal Week that we were able to take the dress with us…for the final check…We popped it on her and did a few adjustments. Audrina loved it. She was just delighted and over the moon.”

Amy Schumer discussed good pal Jennifer Lawrence’s speech at her wedding to chef Chris Fischer, the brother of her personal assistant. “We just joke around so much, but to hear her say, ‘You’re the matriarch now and it’s a role you’ll be so good at and I know you love fiercely,’” Schumer said in a radio interview with shock jock Howard Stern. “Then she also said, ‘I wish for you patience, which you don’t have.’ So, she also roasted me!”

It was the Wedding of The Century, and for good reason. Nearly 2.5 billion people tuned in to watch the heir to the British throne, Prince William of Wales, wed his longtime love, Kate Middleton. The two wed at Westminster Abbey with the bride in a gorgeous Alexander McQueen dress.

Ashley Tisdale is an actress and singer whose big break came when she starred in the Disney Channel original movie High School Musical. She’s also a modern-day pinup, having ranked on the Maxim‘ Hot 100 list of sexiest women and hottest celebrities multiple times. So it’s only appropriate that for her wedding to musician Christopher French, Ashley had her High School Musical co-star Vanessa Hudgens as one of her six bridesmaids! The pair wed at a private residence in Santa Barbara.

Shanae Grimes did things a little different when she married her long-term boyfriend, Josh Beech, in 2013. In fact, the 90210 actress opted for an unconventional black Vera Wang dress for her big day, a decision many wouldn’t choose when it came to exchanging their vows. While tradition stands at wearing a white dress on the day of your wedding, 23-year-old Shanae had her focus in a completely different direction. Meanwhile, five years on and the couple is still going strong!

Hailey Baldwin and Justin Bieber first met in 2009 when they were just teenagers backstage at the Today show. No one would have guessed that 10 years down the line, they’d actually be husband and wife. Though the two already tied the knot in a courtroom wedding in September 2018, they held another celebration one year later in September 2019 with all their loved ones. Hailey’s stunning custom made dress is all anyone could talk about, and rightfully so!

Top tennis player Serena Williams married tech entrepreneur and Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian in New Orleans, Louisiana. Their infant daughter was in attendance. On Instagram, her husband posted: “You are the greatest of all time, not just in sport–I’m talking about as a mother and as a wife. I am so excited to write so many more chapters of our fairy tale together. And my whole life I didn’t even realize it, but I was waiting for this moment.”

When Salma Hayek married the famous French financier François-Henri Pinault, the wedding was just as star-studded as you’d expect for Hollywood royalty like her. Bono, Penelope Cruz and Woody Harrelson were all in attendance. The wedding cost a whopping $3.5 million – which is pocket change if you’re Francois-Henri Pinault (he is a billionaire, after all). The wedding itself was held in Venice’s renowned opera house, Teatro La Fenice. The Mexican-born beauty now shares one child, named Valentina, with her husband.

The bride, whose known for her fierce sense of style, kept her distinct edge with a custom pink and white wedding gown by Dior during her wedding to British rocker Gavin Rossdale. The couple has since split, but her ex-husband says: “We had 20 years together and that in itself is pretty incredible. It’s a lifetime. I still think she’s incredible. It was a lovely 20 years and we have three amazing children. There were a lot of positives.”

The beautiful Raquel Welch is an iconic American actress and singer. This legendary beauty is even credited with ending Hollywood’s trend and obsession with the blonde bombshell. Welch first entered the industry back in 1956 and has been turning heads ever since. An icon of the 1960s and 1970s, Welch has topped many ‘Hottest Stars’ lists. Keep scrolling to take a look at Raquel Welch’s life through these rare vintage photos.

Born Jo Raquel Tejada, Raquel Welch was welcomed to the world on September 5th, 1940. Welch’s father was a Bolivian engineer, and her mother’s parents had English ancestry. The family moved from Illinois to San Diego when Welch was just two years old.

Interestingly enough, Welch’s cousin — Lidia Gueiler Tejada — became the first female president of Bolivia. It’s clear that talent runs in the Tejada family! Welch attended church with her mother as a child and took an interest in performing from an early age.

Welch studied ballet for ten years until she gave it up when she turned 17. Sadly, her dance teacher told her she didn’t have the correct body shape for ballet.

Regardless, Welch was a beautiful child and had already scooped up a handful of beauty titles. When she was just 14, Welch won Miss Photogenic, and Miss Contour. While attending high school she won both Miss La Jolla and Miss San Diego. After winning multiple titles, Welch went on to become Maid of California.

Welch went on to graduate high-school in 1958, during which time her parents separated. However, Welch went looking for an acting career and enrolled in San Diego State College to study theater arts. Just one year later, in 1959, she married her high school sweetheart, James Welch.

Welch acted in several local theater productions but eventually gave up her drama classes. She got a job as a weather forecaster on a local San Diego TV station and separated from her husband.

At this point — with two children — Raquel Welch moved to Dallas, where she worked as a cocktail waitress and a model. She then picked herself up again and moved back to Los Angeles in 1963.

Welch started auditioning for film roles when she met Hollywood agent Patrick Curtis. Curtis became Welch’s manager, and the pair planned to turn her into a Hollywood symbol. They decided to keep Welch’s married name in order to avoid her getting cast solely in Latina roles.

Welch started picking up work, with small roles in films including A House Is Not a Home and Roustabout, both in 1964. Welch also featured on a variety of television shows including The Virginian, Bewitched, and McHale’s Navy.

Her first featured role came around in 1965 in the beach film A Swingin’ Summer. People in Hollywood were starting to notice Welch, including the wife of a producer who recommended her to 20th Century Fox. With the help of her manager, she landed a contract.

Welch agreed to a seven-year non-exclusive contract with 20th Century Fox, including five movies over five years. Initially, the studio executives wanted to change the actress’s name, fearing audiences wouldn’t be able to pronounce Raquel.

Welch stuck to her guns, though, and refused to change her given name. Executives discussed changing her name to ‘Debbie,’ but thankfully the actress put her foot down. In 1966, Welch secured the leading role in sci-fi movie Fantastic Voyage. It was a hit, and she became an instant star.

The most famous image of Welch is still used to promote the Don Chaffey-directed film One Million Years B.C. Welch was loaned to Hammer Studios by Fox Studios in order to lead the film.

Famously, Welch’s only costume in the movie is a two-piece deerskin bikini, described as the “definitive look of the sixties.” Welch’s costume in this iconic image has been described as “mankind’s first bikini,” and catapulted the actress into super-stardom. The New York Times called Welch “a marvelous breathing monument to womankind.”

Raquel Welch in a deerskin bikini is a truly iconic image, but Welch only had three lines in the film itself.

Curtis and Welsh’s plan of turning the actress into an iconic symbol had really paid off. Welch was now a genuine Hollywood pin-up. In fact, she became a leading woman for the entire era. Welch’s image was turned into posters, and soon she was known all over the world. To broaden her appeal, Welch continued to star in different films…

Due to her stunning good looks, Raquel Welch was highly underestimated by some in Hollywood. When she starred in British spy movie Fathom in 1967, cast and crew members would often question her intelligence.

Welch herself stated that her role in Fathom was “a blown-up Barbie Doll,” as she was cast solely for her jaw-dropping beauty. Many films of the time didn’t have well-developed roles for women. A film critic writing for the Los Angeles Times commented that Welch was “born to be photographed.”

Also in 1967, Welch starred alongside Peter Cook and Dudley Moore in the Stanley Donen-directed comedy Bedazzled, which saw her play and embody the deadly sin Lillian Lust. She appeared in Bandolero in 1968 and much preferred her character as it wasn’t like the stereotypical bimbo roles she had landed in the past.

Welch acted opposite some serious legends of the silver screen including James Stewart, Frank Sinatra, and Dean Martin. In fact, she was so smitten by Sinatra that she occasionally forgot to act!

Welch has appeared in some movies that were controversial at the time. Her film, 100 Rifles, faced serious public attention because it showed a love scene between people of different races. Shockingly, during the late 1960s, this was still taboo in Hollywood.

Raquel Welch’s most controversial role was in the 1970 movie Myra Breckinridge. Welch hoped the role would encourage people to take her more seriously as an actress, but the film was a flop.

Despite what some directors advised, Welch stood her ground and never fully exposed herself on camera. She was named Playboy’s “Most Desired Woman” in 1970 and even hosted the Academy Awards several times. By the early seventies, the actress had become a household name.

In 1970, the actress got an entire television special dedicated to her, entitled Raquel! The special was filmed in Acapulco, Paris, London, Mexico City, L.A and more. Raquel! was full of extravagant song and dance numbers, as well as pop-culture icons.

Did you know that Raquel Welch almost played Alexis Carrington on Dynasty? The actress auditioned along with Elizabeth Taylor and Sophia Loren for the coveted role. Of course, the role went to the inimitable Joan Collins.

However, Welch did star in Women of the Year on Broadway and was praised for her work in the title role. She acted in The Legend of Walks Far Woman in 1982, and was also due to star in an adaptation of Cannery Row the same year.

Welch went on to star in a host of movies throughout the 1970s. Between 1970 and 1975 she starred in The Beloved, Hannie Caulder, Kansas City Bomber, The Last of Sheila, The Three Musketeers, The Four Musketeers, and The Wild Party.

Welch saw her life reflected in some of her movies. For example, she played a single mother roller-derby star in Kansas City Bomber. The actress remarked that the female characters in the film are controlled by unseen men, as in Hollywood.

The adaptation of John Steinbeck’s Cannery Row brought about serious issues for Raquel Welch. The actress was suddenly fired just a few weeks into production for the film. The studio claimed that Welch was breaching her contract and refusing to arrive for early morning rehearsals.

However, Welch fought back and sued the studio for ageism. As an actress who was over forty years old, the producers were trying to push her out. Welch proved her case at trial and ultimately won over $10 million dollars in 1986.

Not surprisingly, the movie industry didn’t respond well to being taken to task over their actions. The trial proved that there was a conspiracy to falsely blame Raquel Welch for the film’s delays and budgetary issues. As a result, Welch was blacklisted, and her career was instantly impacted.

Speaking about the case, Welch stated, “I just wanted to clear my reputation and get back to my work, my work in movies.” Despite her newfound reputation, Welch did star in Right to Die in 1987.

Over the next few years, Welch starred in several films and TV shows. The actress even released a single in 1987 called “This Girl’s Back in Town.” Amazingly, Welch’s single got to number 29 on Billboard’s dance club chart.

Between the late ’80s and early ’90s, Welch appeared in Scandal in a Small Town, Trouble in Paradise, Torch Song, and Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult. You can even spot Welch in a ’90s episode of Sabrina the Teenage Witch.

Since she wasn’t getting top movie roles anymore, Welch decided to capitalize on the 1980s fitness boom. This was the decade of the celebrity fitness video with offerings from Jane Fonda, Heather Locklear, Alyssa Milano, and Debbie Reynolds.

Of course, with her pin-up looks and incredible body, it made sense that Welch would branch out into other areas. The actress had been admired and ogled for her entire career, and in her early 40’s, she was still in amazing shape.

In 1984 the actress launched The Raquel Welch Total Beauty and Fitness Program. The program, written by Welch herself, included videos and books. It included hatha yoga, information on Welch’s views on healthy living and nutrition, and even behind-the-scenes tips on style and beauty.

Yoga was relatively new in the 1980s, so many people were introduced to the ancient practice through Raquel Welch’s books and videos. The program was a huge hit, and the book became a bestseller.

Despite being a Hollywood icon and pin-up throughout her career, Raquel Welch never did fully expose herself. Welch posed for Playboy in 1979, and made her name in a deerskin bikini, but she considers herself understated in her personal life.

In an interview, the actress revealed that she was not brought up to be that kind of symbol “nor is it in my nature to be one. The fact that I became one is probably the loveliest, most glamorous, and fortunate misunderstanding.”

Welch didn’t stop after her hugely successful series of fitness books and videos. The actress branched out into other areas and became a successful businesswoman. In 2007, cosmetics company MAC picked Welch to be the newest face of their Beauty Icon series.

The Raquel Welch line features limited-edition cosmetics in sleek black and tiger-print packaging. The collection was described as “strong and wild, yet sultry and exotic.” Welch was thrilled with the collection, especially because she prides herself on doing her own makeup.

Raquel Welch’s most successful business venture by far is her signature line of wigs. In fact, Welch could even be described as a wig mogul. Raquel Welch Wigs is one of the best-known brands in the wig world and has made the actress a huge amount of money. It’s estimated that the actress’s net worth is around $30 million dollars.

Arguably, the name Raquel Welch is much more recognizable today in the wig world than it was in the film world.

Just like the previous era’s bombshell Marilyn Monroe, Raquel Welch traveled overseas to entertain U.S. troops. Welch traveled to Vietnam along with British-American comedian and actor, Bob Hope. You can watch one of Welch and Hope’s shows for U.S. soldiers in Bob Hope’s 1967 Christmas Special.

Welch appeared on stage to rapturous applause with her signature bouffant hairstyle. Performing in front of a brass band, the actress sang “Different Drum” and danced along in knee-high white boots and a blue mini skirt.

Raquel Welch has received several awards throughout her career. In 1975, the actress won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture for her role in The Three Musketeers. In 1983, she won the Western Heritage Awards and in 1987, she was nominated for another Golden Globe for the TV-film Right to Die.

In 1996, the actress received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. You can find Welch’s star at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard.

Throughout her life, Raquel Welch has been married four times. She first married her high-school sweetheart, James Welch, in 1959, and fell pregnant just a year after graduating from high-school. However, their marriage fell apart by 1964.

In interviews, Welch has expressed her regret for ending her marriage with Welch. The actress has said that she wished she had tried harder to make the marriage work. She has even said that her childhood sweetheart was the best of her four husbands.

Welch went on to marry her manager, Patrick Curtis, in 1967 but that marriage ended five years later. Welch has since described her relationship with Curtis as an unhappy one, accusing him of being manipulative and controlling.

The actress got married for the third time in 1980 — this time to French-American television producer and journalist André Weinfeld. A longer relationship than her previous two marriages, Welch and Weinfeld stayed together for 10 years, before separating in 1990.

In 1997, Raquel met her fourth husband, the L.A.-based restaurateur Richard Palmer. At the time, Palmer was engaged but he left his fiancé to be with Welch. The actress was 15 years older than Palmer but that didn’t stop them from tying the knot in 1999. Their union lasted nine years, before ending in 2008.

Since then, Welch has commented that she doesn’t intend to get married again. The actress insists that she’s just fine without a man.

There have always been rumors and speculation that Raquel Welch has had cosmetic surgery to achieve her famous figure. Welch measured 37-24-36, and a Hollywood urban legend even suggested that the actress had some of her lower ribs removed to make her waist smaller.

Welch has always denied these allegations and insisted that her body is all-natural. However, thanks to comparisons with some old photos, it is now widely believed that Welch had a nose job before moving to Hollywood.

Welch got pregnant just a year after graduating from high school. After leaving her first husband, the actress was a single mother to two young children. Welch worked as a model and a cocktail waitress during this time and eventually moved to L.A. to pursue her acting career.

Welch, along with second husband and manager Patrick Curtis, didn’t promote the fact that she was a young mother. After all, it didn’t fit in with the actress’s bombshell image.

Welch was catapulted to global fame thanks to the iconic image of her in a deerskin bikini in adventure fantasy film One Million Years B.C. Welch was reluctant about being involved in the film, seeing it as “a bad monster movie.”

Welch thought nobody would see the movie, but a publicity image of Welch in her famous bikini had created a huge stir. When she returned from shooting in the Canary Islands, Raquel Welch found out that she had become extremely famous.

In 2010, the iconic actress and businesswoman finally decided to tell her story, in her own words, with an autobiography. In her memoir, the actress speaks about her Hollywood career, her relationships, and being a mother.

The book covers style, health, love, body image, aging, and family. In the book, Welch gives tips for staying positive in your 50’s, and even opens up about menopause. Best of all, she divulges her best hair and beauty tips.

In 1966, Raquel Welch and second husband Patrick Curtis appeared at the Royal Command Film Performance in London. The pair went out of their way to make sure that the stunning actress was the center of attention and by the next day, she was on the front page of every newspaper.

With her olive-brown skin glowing in a beautiful white dress, Welch lined up to shake hands with the Queen. Welch purposely angled herself in front of the photographers, and it worked!

Most of us have seen Raquel Welch’s famous bikini picture somewhere or other, but did you know that it appears in an Oscar-nominated movie? Well, if you’re a fan of the critically-acclaimed film The Shawshank Redemption, then you’ll have seen Welch on Andy Dufresne’s wall.

Spoiler alert! For those that have seen the classic film, protagonist Andy Dufrense escapes through a hole in the wall that he covers with a poster. That poster? It’s pin-up Raquel Welch in One Million Years B.C.

Raquel Welch has two children from her first marriage with high-school sweetheart James Welch. The actress’s son, Damon Welch, was born in 1959 and her daughter, Latanne Rene Welch, arrived in 1961.

Welch’s daughter, now known as Tahnee Welch, went on to be an actress like her mother. Tahnee also posed for Playboy in their 1995 issue. Damon married the daughter of English cricketer Fred Trueman, but the couple parted ways after two years.

Women are still fighting for leading roles in movies of all genres. However, Raquel Welch was one of the earliest and only actresses to have a lead role in a Western. British movie Hannie Caulder was released in 1971 and featured Welch as a frontier wife turned gunfighter.

Acclaimed director Quentin Tarantino has said that Hannie Caulder was one of his inspirations for the 2003 martial arts film Kill Bill. Without Raquel Welch, we may never have had Uma Thurman dressed in a yellow latex jumpsuit wielding a sword.

Incredibly, much of what we think of as beautiful has been influenced by Raquel Welch. As a prominent pin-up and Hollywood symbol, Welch has contributed hugely to the contemporary feminine ideal. When we think of beauty, we think of something like her.

In earlier eras, the blonde bombshell was the most celebrated type of female beauty. Stars like Marilyn Monroe and Jayne Mansfield dazzled in the late 1950s. In the ’60s and ’70s, though, Welch brought in the era of the smoldering brunette.

Amazingly, Welch doesn’t just profit from her wig company but gives back to society too. Each year, Raquel Welch Wigs donates up to $1 million worth of wigs to the American Cancer Society.

The actress has had time to reflect on what she can do for others. She said that she’s “made a concerted effort to think about what I have to do for other people, what I owe, what my part is in whatever relationship or situation I find myself in.”

In the late ’60s, Raquel Welsh was one of the most photographed women on the planet. She was on the front cover of magazines all over the world, and constantly hounded by paparazzi. At one point, there was an offer of one million Italian lire for a photograph of the actress’s children.

When Welch was staying in Rome, paparazzi staked out her home, tried to scale the walls, and attempted to bribe her staff. Hilariously, the actress soaked the photographers with a water gun.

Raquel Welsh pops up in all sorts of media from the late ’90s onwards. After playing Sabrina Spellman’s flashy aunt in Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Welch made an appearance in the hit comedy series Seinfield.

You can catch Raquel Welch in the iconic 2001 film Legally Blonde, where she plays Mrs. Windham-Vandermark opposite Reese Witherspoon. More recently, Welch starred in the 2017 sitcom Date My Dad and the in 2017 comedy movie How to Be a Latin Lover.

On the morning of February 15th, 2023, Raquel Welch passed away at the age of 82. She passed peacefully in her home in LA, after being ill for a short time. Welch’s career spanned over 50 years and included more than 70 movies and TV shows.

She’s survived by her millions of fans and her two children, 61-year-old Latanne Rene “Tahnee” Welch and 63-year-old Damon Welch. The world will most certainly miss the icon that was Raquel Welch.