Priscilla Presley’s Natural Diamond Wedding Jewelry Takes the Big Screen
Before Bennifer, Brangelina and Kimye, another beloved celebrity couple was in the public eye. As one of the most famous romances in the world, Elvis and Priscilla Presley stole the spotlight in the late 1960s and early ‘70s.
Before the royal couple of Rock ‘n’ Roll tied the knot in a Las Vegas ceremony in May of 1967, Elvis reportedly popped the question in December 1966 with a 3.5-carat diamond engagement ring with 20 detachable diamonds.
Priscilla’s wedding ensemble lives on in pop-culture canon. Her long jet-black strands lifted high into a stiff bouffant, anchored by a bejeweled crown and a three-quarter-length veil, her graphic mod-girl eye-makeup, and her flowing white organza gown with shimmering sheer lace long sleeves.
Shrouded in mystery, Priscilla’s elusive engagement ring has rarely been seen since her wedding day’s grainy black-and-white photography. In 2014, Priscilla posted a Q&A to her Facebook status. “Q: Do you still have your wedding ring? Would be lovely to see the design,” read a fan’s request. She responded, “A. Yes I do. Maybe one day.”
Another ring worn on her wedding day remains a bit more recognizable. Elvis purchased matching diamond-encrusted horseshoe rings for himself and his bride on the big day.
Recently reenacted in Baz Luhrmann’s 2022 Elvis biopic, the wedding scene featured Austin Butler and Olivia DeJonge’s dramatic transformations into “The King” and his queen, respectively.
Academy Award-winning costume designer Catherine Martin sunk her teeth into Elvis and Priscilla’s instantly recognizable looks, sticking to the script and implementing both the horseshoe rings and an incredibly similar duplicate of Priscilla’s engagement ring, featuring the detachable diamonds surrounding the large center stone like a crescent moon.
Now, Sofia Coppola’s biopic, Priscilla will take a second look at the relationship through a woman’s point of view. Based on Priscilla’s candid 1985 memoir, Elvis and Me, the new film sees Cailee Spaeny and Jacob Elordi portray the Presleys.
Costume designer Stacey Battat takes great care to pay particular attention to detail in the forthcoming feature. Leaning on historical references, the wardrobe director strived for each look to be as accurate as possible.
The film’s poster sees Spaeny’s Priscilla on her wedding day, holding her new husband’s face showcasing a lengthy ballet-slipper manicure and a fancy yellow diamond surrounded by a white diamond halo and pavé band.
At the press conference during Priscilla’s first New York Film Festival screening, Elordi said that the cast implemented all the jewelry from the Elvis estate into the film. The Euphoria actor said, “I would clasp the ID bracelet or put the horseshoe ring on and they provided the final touches.”
(The film was provided a waiver by SAG-AFTRA rules to allow the actors to promote the film amid the strike.)
