The story behind one of Hollywood’s biggest names.

Exactly **34 years ago**, Hollywood legend **Elizabeth Taylor** married **Larry Fortensky**, a blue-collar construction worker, in a wedding that stunned the world. The lavish ceremony took place on **October 6, 1991**, at Michael Jackson’s **Neverland Ranch**, marking Taylor’s **eighth and final marriage**. Despite their contrasting worlds — she, a global icon; he, an ordinary laborer — their relationship was grounded in genuine affection rather than fame or scandal.

Their unlikely romance began in **1988** at the **Betty Ford Clinic**, where both were seeking recovery. Taylor was 56, Larry 36, a rugged California man battling addiction after a car accident. Amid the clinic’s sterile walls, sparks flew. “The person I met was the real woman, without all the movie star nonsense,” Larry once told *The Daily Mail*. Elizabeth was drawn to his authenticity and called him “Larry the Lion.”

After rehab, their secret romance blossomed. Taylor often sent a limousine to Larry’s modest home, though it sometimes got stuck in the mud. By Christmas that year, he had moved into her luxurious Bel-Air estate — a world far removed from his humble beginnings.

Their 1991 wedding was pure Hollywood spectacle. Over **200 celebrity guests**, including Liza Minnelli and Eddie Murphy, gathered under a white gazebo, while paparazzi-filled helicopters circled overhead. Despite the chaos, Taylor and Fortensky exchanged vows surrounded by stars — and guarded by Jackson’s tight security.

Though their marriage ended in **1996**, their bond endured. Even after divorcing, they remained close friends. Taylor later sent Larry financial help after he suffered a debilitating accident, continuing her support until her death in **2011**.

Reflecting on their love, Fortensky said, “I love her, and I always will. I know she loved me too.” He passed away in **2016**, closing one of Hollywood’s most unexpected and heartfelt love stories — a union that proved even the brightest star could find comfort in the simplest kind of love.