On May 21, 1945, Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart had a fairy-tale wedding on an experimental farm in Ohio, hosted by the famed author and environmentalist Louis Bromfield. This unique venue was far from Hollywood glamour, set instead on Bromfield’s 600-acre Malabar Farm, which he had transformed into a model for sustainable agriculture.

Bogart, who often visited Malabar, appreciated Bromfield’s authenticity. During WWII, he frequently came to the farm with his third wife, Mayo Methot. Their tumultuous relationship, marked by Methot’s dramatic outbursts, ended when Bogart met Bacall while filming “To Have and Have Not.” Despite their age difference, Bacall and Bogart’s romance blossomed, leading to their marriage amidst the hopeful post-war atmosphere. Bromfield’s farm, a testament to his love for the soil and innovative farming, provided an idyllic backdrop for one of Hollywood’s most iconic unions.

George Hawkins, Louis Bromfield’s witty secretary, picked up Lauren Bacall and her mother at the Mansfield train station when they arrived for their visit to Malabar Farm. Bacall described the farm covered in snow and filled with antique French furniture and seven boxer dogs. She was charmed by Bromfield and amazed by the farm’s beauty and its hearty, fresh food despite wartime rationing.

During their stay, Bromfield and Hawkins suggested that Bacall and Bogart marry at Malabar, which Bacall thought was a lovely idea. By mid-March, Bogart had settled his divorce with Mayo Methot, and the wedding was set for May 21. Despite Bogart’s reluctance to have a Life magazine photographer join them, preparations went ahead, with Hawkins handling logistics and keeping the press at bay. The day before the wedding, Bromfield took Hawkins fishing to calm his nerves.

On May 21, a bright and clear Monday, Malabar Farm was shining and ready for the ceremony. Newspapers eagerly followed the event, highlighting the union of Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart at Bromfield’s idyllic estate.

On their wedding day, Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart rose early for blood tests and a visit to the courthouse for their marriage license. Bacall, feeling nervous, laid out traditional wedding items: something blue, old, borrowed, and new. She wore a simple doeskin suit, reflecting wartime fashion.

Hawkins, Bromfield’s secretary, called Bacall by Bogart’s nickname for her, “Baby,” signaling it was time. As Hope Bromfield played the wedding march, Bacall descended the stairs, knees shaking, and saw Bogart looking vulnerable and handsome in his gray flannel suit. Bromfield, the best man, and the family’s boxer dog, Prince, were also present.

During the ceremony, Bacall’s orchids shook from her nerves, and she noticed tears on Bogart’s face. After a shy kiss on the cheek, they hugged, and Bacall tossed her bouquet, caught by Hope. As the ceremony ended, the press frenzy began.

After the ceremony, cameras flashed, and the cake—a three-tiered beauty—was brought out. Bacall and Bogart were photographed cutting the cake and feeding each other. Champagne flowed as they posed for more photos outside. Bromfield, tired of his suit, changed into his casual corduroys. Newsreel cameras followed them around the farm.

Life magazine’s Ed Clark recalled, “Every photographer in the world was there.” Bromfield gifted the couple a boxer puppy and an acre of land at Malabar for a symbolic cottage. Bacall dreamed of a simple life there. The wedding catapulted Malabar Farm into national fame, a feat Bromfield alone couldn’t have achieved.