Anna Nicole Smith’s marriage to J. Howard Marshall II, an 89-year-old wheelchair-bound oil tycoon, was a headline-grabbing event.
In August 1994, People magazine reported on their wedding, stating that the bride confidently showcased her cleavage.
This union represented a significant turn of events for Smith, who had once been self-conscious about her small bust size but later upgraded to a 36DD with the help of silicone implants.
Despite marrying into a billion-dollar fortune, Smith would ultimately never inherit it.
The story of how Smith and Marshall crossed paths began at Gigi’s, a strip club where Smith found work after failing to secure positions at more prestigious establishments in Houston.
Venues like Baby O’s and Rick’s had stricter regulations for their dancers, causing Smith to settle for Gigi’s.
Robert Waters, the owner of Rick’s, even mentioned that they had considered reprimanding Smith for her weight.
This rejection led her to Gigi’s, where she would meet her future husband.
In October 1991, Marshall’s driver brought him to Gigi’s, where he watched in awe as Smith, a buxom dancer, performed a seductive routine to Chris de Burgh’s “The Lady in Red.”
Intrigued by her charm, Marshall invited the 26-year-old Smith to have lunch with him the following day.
During their meal, Smith mentioned that she had to return to work for her regular shift.
In response, Marshall handed her an envelope filled with ten one-hundred-dollar bills, urging her not to go back to work.
As time went on, Marshall showered Smith with extravagant gifts worth millions of dollars, including jewelry and a Rolls Royce.
However, they also enjoyed simple pleasures, often dining at Red Lobster.
Interestingly, this restaurant held sentimental value for Smith, as she had previously worked there, serving Cheddar Bay Biscuits to everyday seafood lovers for minimum wage.
After numerous attempts, Smith eventually agreed to marry Marshall.
On June 27, 1994, they exchanged vows at Houston’s White Dove Wedding Chapel, both dressed in white.
However, their happiness was short-lived, as Smith immediately left town for a photo shoot after the ceremony.
According to reports, Marshall sat in his wheelchair, crying.
Tragically, their marriage ended just 14 months later when Marshall passed away.
Despite her legal battle with Marshall’s son over control of his estate, Smith was not included in the will and never gained access to his immense fortune.
Today, over two decades later, both Smith and Marshall have passed away, and Gigi’s, the venue where their extraordinary love story began, was demolished in 2012.
