F. Scott Fitzgerald Marries “The First American Flapper” 95 Years Ago Today
On April 3, 1920, the writer and Zelda Sayre exchanged vows at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City in what would become one of the most iconic weddings of all time. Here, the story behind their love story.
Their marriage started with a novel. When First Lieutenant F. Scott Fitzgerald met Southern socialite Zelda Sayre while stationed in her hometown of Montgomery, Alabama, he was instantly smitten with the Charleston-dancing beauty (whom he would later dub "the first American flapper"). He dedicated the next few years to writing his first novel, This Side of Paradise, in hopes of making enough money to marry her. To prove his love, he rewrote the lead character of the novel, Rosalind Connage, to be more like Zelda herself. In order to marry her sooner, he even convinced his publishers to push up the release date of the book, which became an instant best seller. With the novel a success, F. Scott and Zelda became husband and wife on April 3, 1920, inviting eight attendees to join them for an intimate ceremony at Saint Patrick's Cathedral in New York City.
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