Dolly Parton's wedding mini dress she regretted at elopement photos

June 01, 2024

Country music singer Dolly Parton is no stranger to bold outfits covered with glitter and sequins for her performances, but she chose a much more low-key gown for her wedding on 30 May 1966 – and she had some regrets.

MORE: Inside ACM Awards host Dolly Parton's 56-year marriage to husband she met at 18

The ACM Awards host, 75, married her partner Carl Dean when she was just 20 in a very intimate ceremony in Ringgold, Georgia, with only her mother, the preacher and his wife as witnesses. Dolly said 'I do' in a simple white sleeveless dress with a fitted bodice and an A-line skirt that fell to her knees.

WATCH: Dolly Parton's love story with husband Carl started aged 18

She accessorised with white pumps, matching gloves and a short veil that was fastened into her curled blonde bob. Meanwhile, Carl looked dapper in a black suit and a white shirt as he smiled for a photo.

The couple met aged 18 and 21 outside their local laundromat on the first day the singer moved to Nashville in 1964. They tied the knot two years later and went on to renew their vows at their home on their 50th wedding anniversary.

READ: Dolly Parton's secret to her successful marriage with husband Carl Dean

Dolly opted for a short white wedding dress when she eloped

"We're going to get married again!" Dolly said to People in 2016. And she revealed her second outfit was going to make up for her understated first bridal look!

"I'll have a beautiful wedding dress, 'cause I didn't have a big long wedding dress when we got married, and we've got a suit for him, so we're going to dress up and take a bunch of pictures," the Islands in the Stream hitmaker continued.

The couple met aged 18 and 21 outside their local laundromat

Two years later, she told People it wasn't just her dress that she would have changed about her first wedding. "I never really felt like I had the wedding that we really wanted," she said, referring to the fact the couple were forced to elope because her record label preferred her to stay unwed.

"We’d already sent out invitations and so I thought, 'I ain’t waiting!' We went that same weekend to Ringgold, Georgia in a little church. I had a little white dress and little flowers, and my mom went with me," Dolly explained.

Dolly revealed chose a 'big long' second wedding dress

Speaking of the secret behind their long-lasting relationship, the Dolly Parton's Heartstrings star continued: "I always say 'Stay gone!' and there’s a lot of truth to that. I travel a lot, but we really enjoy each other when we’re together and the little things we do."

PHOTOS: 18 celebrity brides with multiple wedding dresses

Planning your wedding? Sign up to HELLO!’s brand new Bride Guide newsletter for expert advice, budget help, wedding inspiration and real life stories delivered straight to your inbox.

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7qbHLpaammZeWx6q6xGeaqKVfl7%2BqsMSsZmtoYmd9dXyUampwaWJtfKW7y6WwZqiRp8Gwuoysn6iqpGLEprDDoqWgZZSnsrS%2FjJ6jqKiVorKvwIyrnKCqlanAcA%3D%3D