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<\/p>\nBette Midler, known for her indelible voice and impressive acting skills, was already a Grammy, Golden Globe and Tony winner when she met the 35-year-old Martin von Haselberg in 1984.<\/p>\n
Then 39, the star of The Rose locked down her relationship with the Argentinian man and popped the question after only six weeks of dating.<\/p>\n
The pair eloped to Las Vegas and wed at the Starlight Chapel with Elvis officiating their nuptials.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy wedding was two people \u2013 my husband and me \u2013 and, of course, the Elvis impersonator that married us,\u201d the Hocus Pocus star recalled about the 02:00 am wedding that cost only $45 and a wardrobe change for her husband-to-be.<\/p>\n
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Credit \/ Mike Pont \/ WireImage \/ Getty.<\/p>\n
The \u201cspur of the moment\u201d wedding turned out to be a great decision. Only two years later, the couple welcomed their only daughter Sophie, now 36, an actor whose credits include Woody Allen\u2019s 2015 film Irrational Man.<\/p>\n
But up until a couple of years ago, the singer of \u201cThe Rose\u201d and her artist husband, known for his roles in the 1980\u2019s The Kipper Kids, had no photos to look back on their magical wedding event in Vegas.<\/p>\n
Then, after more than three decades of marriage, a surprise arrived in the mail.<\/p>\n
\u201cApparently, there was a photographer there,\u201d Midler explained on a 2021 episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live. \u201cWhen the Starlight Chapel closed its doors about five years ago, they sent us the pictures. We had never seen the pictures [before].\u201d<\/p>\n
The years following that day haven\u2019t always been easy.<\/p>\n
Celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary next year, the \u201cWind Beneath my Wings\u201d singer revealed that the commitment she shares with von Haselberg once heavily hinged on compromise, and their determination to be the best parents to Sophie.<\/p>\n
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Bette Midler pictured in 1978. Credit \/ Evening Standard \/ Hulton Archive \/ Getty.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe used to fight bitterly,\u201d Midler shared with Closer, adding that the birth of Sophie helped change their priorities. \u201cWe came to the conclusion that we wanted to raise a child. We never wanted to hurt that kid in any way. [So] we stayed together until it got better, and it did.\u201d<\/p>\n
The key, von Haselberg said, was putting family first. \u201cThere was a conscious effort to create exactly the life we have,\u201d says the former performance actor who left his job as a commodities trader to support his wife\u2019s career and help raise their daughter.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the First Wives Club star gushes over her husband, whom she calls the \u201cgreatest father.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMy husband is probably the greatest father who ever lived. He taught [Sophie] a foreign language. He taught her how to cook,\u201d Midler continued, \u201cHe has looked after me for many, many years. He\u2019s sacrificed a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n
In turn, Midler shares that she\u2019s learned to compromise, something the strong-willed woman hadn\u2019t done before.<\/p>\n
\u201cListening is very hard. And compromise. Compromise is the hardest of all,\u201d the star of Stepford Wives said, adding that she also learned accountability. \u201cThe blaming, I think, is the worst part\u2026It\u2019s because you don\u2019t want to carry the burden yourself. You want to push it off on someone else. But honestly, you have to learn not to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Martin Von Haselberg, Sophie Von Haselberg, and Bette Midler pictured in 2013. Credit \/ Bruce Glikas \/ FilmMagic \/ Getty.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was so sweet. They had a great time,\u201d Midler said of her daughter and son-in-law, Harry J. N. Guinness. \u201cThey stayed up all night and they drank. They had a ball.\u201d<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re wondering, Elvis did not make an appearance.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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