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Hollywood blockbuster Rocketman depicts Elton John's early career as an orgy of cocaine binges, gay affairs and glitzy showbiz parties.

But between the flares, garish glasses and breathtaking concerts there is one episode that may surprise younger viewers...his wedding to a woman. 

Sir Elton married German-born sound engineer Renate Blauel in a traditional ceremony in Sydney's St Mark's church on Valentine's Day in 1984. 

He was 36 at the time, and the couple was in Australia for his Too Low For Zero tour.

In candid wedding photos the bride is beaming as she emerges from the church dressed in a lace gown by Australian designer Keri Craig-Lee.

Wearing a slightly strained expression, Sir Elton bends down to give his new wife a kiss.

Elton John may be one of musics biggest gay icons but early in his career, while struggling with his sexuality, the superstar married a woman

The pop star wed German-born sound engineer, Renate Blauel in a traditional ceremony in Sydney's St Mark's church on Valentine's Day in 1984

It had been a whirlwind romance for the singer and Ms Blauel, who had met just a year earlier in a London recording studio.

Sir Elton has since become of the world's most recognisable gay icons but he clearly struggled with his sexuality and did not come out as openly gay for many years.

Gary Clarke, a young Melburnian, claimed he enjoyed a threesome with Sir Elton just two days before the singer took Ms Blauel to an Indian restaurant in Sydney and proposed. 

The star-studded wedding was arranged in just five days and bizarrely Clarke went shopping with Ms Blauel to help her choose a dress.

After the Anglican service the wedding party, which included Olivia Newton-John, tennis ace John McEnroe and Sir Elton's ex boyfriend John Reid, retired to the old Sebel Towers.

Guests gorged on oysters, flown in from New Zealand, lobster, prawns, scallops, lamb, crab, venison, beef, veal and quail and drank 1978 Le Montrachet Chateau des Hebeaux Jacques Prieur. 

The same bottle fetched more than $1200 at auction in 2000. 

Reverend James Whild (pictured) presided the ceremony that left many stunned as Sir Elton had long been assumed gay, despite announcing he was bisexual in 1976

The unlikely union of Ms Blauel and Sir Elton, overseen by Reverend James Whild, stunned many of the singer's close friends who had long assumed he was gay, The Australian reported.

Singer Rod Stewart famously to told the couple: 'You may be still standing, but we're all on the f***ing floor.' 

It wasn't until 1988 that the flamboyant performer announced he was openly gay - around the same time the couple divorced. 

Sir Elton broke his silence over the shock wedding while advocating for Australians to vote for same-sex marriage in 2017. 

'Many years ago, I chose Australia for my wedding to a wonderful woman for whom I have so much love and admiration. I wanted more than anything to be a good husband, but I denied who I really was, which caused my wife sadness, and caused me huge guilt and regret,' his Instagram post read.

'To be worthy of someone's love, you have to be brave enough and clear eyed enough to be honest with yourself and your partner.' 

The wedding at St Mark’s church in Sydney’s eastern suburbs (pictured) was pulled together in four days. Sir Elton had proposed to his German-born bride at an Indian restaurant in Sydney days earlier

Sir Elton broke his silence over the shock wedding while advocating for Australians to vote for same-sex marriage in 2017

The reason for Sir Elton's decision to marry has long been a mystery but the singer later admitted he had been struggling with drug and alcohol addiction.

He explained his thinking in an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald in 2007: 'A drug addict thinks like this: ''I've had enough boyfriends, and that's not made me happy, so I'll have a wife – that will change everything''. And I loved Renate. She's a great girl. I really, really loved her. But, you know … it is one of the things I regret most in my life, hurting her.'

In 2014 Sir Elton married long-term partner David Furnish, who he had been in a civil partnership with for nine years.  

The couple have two sons - Zachary and Elijah. 

Sir Elton is a now a doting father and husband but it comes after a very tumultuous journey to superstardom and a wedding that undoubtedly did go breaking some hearts. 

Rocketman is showing in Australian cinemas from today. 

Saying their vows: Elton John and David Furnish said their vows in front of family and friends

Cutting the cake: David Walliams posted a picture of the happy couple on their wedding day. They had been in a civil partnership for nine years