People; Laura Luongo/Liaison Madonna and Sean Penn wed in an extravagant ceremony in Malibu in 1985, which was disrupted by swirling helicopters full of photographers The bride wore a custom gown designed by her Like a Virgin tour designer, while Penn wore an off-the-rack Versace suit After the vows, guests ate food from Spago and danced to hits that included Madonna's own song "Into the Groove" Forty years ago, the talk of the town in Hollywood was all aboutMadonnaandSean Penn'swildbeach weddingin Malibu. In August 1985, PEOPLE did a cover story on the Aug. 16 event (Madonna's 27th birthday; Penn had just turned 25), including details about who was there, what the guests ate and what the bride and groom wore. Despite a sea of helicopters overhead, security was tight leading up to the ceremony. At the huge wooden gates at real-estate developer Dan Unger's $6.5 million home, guards oversaw an I.D. check of all who entered, while other security guards armed themselves with infrared binoculars to scan the perimeter for intruders. (They found one interloper, an Italian photographer, who had been hiding in the shrubbery since 1:30 a.m.) Despite the overhead interruptions, the day was still incredibly romantic as 220 friends, family and colleagues joined Madonna's seven brothers and sisters, her 73-year-old grandmother, the groom's family and friends like Rosanna Arquette, Christopher Walken,Carrie Fisher, Andy Warhol, Diane Keaton and Tom Cruise. Barry King/WireImage For the nuptials, guests stood around a poolside setting overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Shortly before 6:30 p.m., Penn appeared in a double-breasted $695 Gianni Versace suit he had bought off the rack one week earlier on Rodeo Drive. Barry King/WireImage Madonna came out wearing a strapless Cinderella gown created by her"Like a Virgin"tour designer and video image-maker, Marlene Stewart. Her hair was in a classic French twist and covered with a black bowler draped in cream-colored tulle. Though at the time she was known for wearing a stack of bangles on her arms and giant crucifix necklaces, for jewelry, she opted for a single long earring and an antique pearl bracelet. Draped across her dress like a beauty contestant's sash was a silver-and-pink silk metallic net, dripping with encrusted jewels, pearls and dried roses. "We wanted a '50s feeling," designer Stewart would say later, "something Grace Kelly might have worn."Madonna walked down the aisle on the arm of her father to the song "Moments of Love." Actor James Foley was Penn's best man, while Madonna's sister Paula was the maid of honor. The couple exchanged vows in a five-minute ceremony conducted by Judge John Merrick. Penn then lifted his wife's veil and, to the accompaniment of the theme from Chariots of Fire, planted a kiss on her and sparked a standing ovation. AP Photo/Doug Pizac After the vows, waiters rushed out with trays of Cristal champagne and sushi, as Malcolm McLaren's "Madame Butterfly" blared from loudspeakers. Moments later, the newlyweds appeared on a balcony. Penn toasted "the most beautiful woman in the world," and struggled playfully to remove her garter for the obligatory toss. The partygoers then adjourned to a white open-air tent and a feast prepared by Spago restaurant: a five-tier hazelnut wedding cake with sugar flowers, lobster ravioli, rack of lamb, swordfish and baked potatoes stuffed with sour cream and caviar. Table wines included an Acacia Pinot Noir from California's Madonna Vineyard.As evening fell, guests moved to a parquet dance floor set up over the tennis courts and lit with pink floodlights. Disc jockey Terence Toy opened with a swing-era tape, then switched to livelier fare — Motown's greatest dance tunes and Madonna's own "Into the Groove." The bride danced with her usual enthusiasm, even lifting her layered skirt during one fast-moving number to reveal a flowered-brocade slip underneath. At about 10:00 p.m., the get-together began its slow dissolve. "It was all very intimate, except for those obnoxious helicopters," departing Susan Seidelman, director ofDesperately Seeking Susan,told PEOPLE at the time. "A very classy affair," said another guest. "Like Tiffany's with just a dash of flash." DMI/The LIFE Picture Collection/Shutterstock Madonna and Penn's love story had initially surprised plenty of people in the industry. Penn, who'd made a name for himself acting in films likeFast Times at Ridgemont HighandThe Falcon and the Snowman, was notoriously camera-wary and had routinely refused interviews. When he wasn't working, he was usually club hopping with the Brat Packers and actors Timothy Hutton, Emilio Estevez and Cruise. However, when he met Madonna during the taping of her "Material Girl" video, he was smitten. He told his wedding guests that he'd been looking at a book of quotations while hanging with a friend, picked it up and turned to a random page, and read the following: "'She had the innocence of a child and the wit of a man.' I looked at my friend, and he just said, 'Go get her.' " Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The courtship had its rocky moments, but friends at the time said their love was the real deal. "I've never seen two more passionate people. Forget about the superstar stuff; Madonna is a girl wildly in love," a friend of Madonna's told PEOPLE. After the wedding, they had plans to build a spacious estate in Malibu that would be beyond private. The couple divorced in 1989, though Madonna later reflected on her feelings for Penn in her 1991 documentaryTruth or Dare, calling him "The love of her life." They went on to remain good friends. Read the original article onPeople
