Jfk's Wedding Reception: A Historic Venue

where was jfk wedding reception

John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier's wedding reception was held on the terrace of Hammersmith Farm, Newport, Rhode Island, on 12 September 1953. Hammersmith Farm was Jacqueline's childhood summer home. The reception was attended by 900 guests, and it took the newlyweds two hours to shake every guest's hand.

Characteristics Values
Date 12 September 1953
Location Hammersmith Farm, Newport, Rhode Island
No. of Guests 900-1200
Entertainment Meyer Davis and his orchestra

shunbridal

The reception was held at Hammersmith Farm, Newport, Rhode Island

The reception for the wedding of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy and John F. Kennedy was held at Hammersmith Farm in Newport, Rhode Island. Hammersmith Farm was the childhood home of Jacqueline Kennedy and was owned by her stepfather, Hugh D. Auchincloss. The estate is located at 225 Harrison Avenue, on what was originally known as "Hammersmith Island". The 28-room Victorian mansion was built in 1887 for John W. Auchincloss, the uncle of Hugh D. Auchincloss.

The wedding reception was attended by approximately 900 guests, including 600 diplomats, senators, and social figures. The newlyweds spent two hours shaking hands with their guests. The reception featured a four-foot-tall wedding cake, with music provided by Meyer Davis and his orchestra, who played under a large canopy. The couple left the reception amid a shower of rose-petal confetti and rice, before heading off to Acapulco, Mexico, for their honeymoon.

shunbridal

Jacqueline Kennedy wore a dress with 50 yards of material

Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy's wedding dress was an ivory gown made of 50 yards of silk taffeta. It featured a portrait neckline, bouffant skirt, pleated bodice, scalloped hem, and large rosettes. Small wax orange blossoms, a trademark of designer Ann Lowe, were attached to the centre of each rosette. To make the silk feel heavier, add volume, and feel more luxurious, the silk was treated with metallic salts such as tin or iron, resulting in what is known as weighted silk.

The dress was designed by Anne Lowe, a trailblazing Black designer who had previously worked with other elite American families, including the Roosevelts and the Rockefellers. Lowe had also designed dresses for Jackie's mother, Janet Lee Bouvier, who commissioned Lowe to design her daughter's wedding gown and bridesmaid dresses.

Jackie's wedding dress was displayed at the Kennedy Library and Museum as part of its permanent collection. It was last exhibited in 2003 to celebrate the pair's 50th wedding anniversary. The gown has since become too fragile to showcase and doesn't leave the museum. However, the iconic dress has been recreated on several occasions for exhibits.

The wedding reception for John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy was held on the terrace of the 300-acre Auchincloss oceanfront estate, Hammersmith Farm, in Newport, Rhode Island. The reception hosted more than 900 guests, including 600 diplomats, senators, and social figures. The wedding cake, four feet tall, was ordered by Joseph P. Kennedy, and Meyer Davis and his orchestra played under a huge canopy.

shunbridal

There were 900 guests at the reception

The wedding reception of John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier was held on 12 September 1953, in Newport, Rhode Island. The reception was hosted on the terrace of the Auchincloss oceanfront estate, Hammersmith Farm, which was Jacqueline's childhood summer home. The event was attended by 900 guests, including 600 diplomats, senators, and social figures. It took Senator Kennedy and his new wife two hours to shake hands with each of their 900 guests.

The wedding ceremony took place at St. Mary's Church on Spring Street in Newport, Rhode Island. The Archbishop of Boston performed the rites and read a special blessing from the Pope. Outside the church, 2,000 fans cheered the newlyweds as they left.

The reception was a grand affair, with a four-foot-tall wedding cake ordered by Joseph P. Kennedy, and music provided by Meyer Davis and his orchestra under a huge canopy. The newlyweds also shared a dance at the reception. The invitation to the wedding was printed in black ink on cream-colored paper, with the lettering not raised. It stated:

> Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Dudley Auchincloss request the honour of your presence at the marriage of Mrs. Auchincloss' daughter Jacqueline Lee Bouvier ... The Honorable John Fitzgerald Kennedy United States Senate on Saturday, the twelfth of September at eleven o'clock Saint Mary's Church Spring Street Newport, Rhode Island.

Money Trees at Weddings: Still a Thing?

You may want to see also

shunbridal

The couple cut a four-foot-tall wedding cake

The wedding reception of John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier was held on 12 September 1953, at Hammersmith Farm, Newport, Rhode Island. Hammersmith Farm was Jacqueline's childhood summer home. The reception was held on the terrace of the 300-acre Auchincloss oceanfront estate, with more than 1,200 guests in attendance.

The wedding ceremony took place at St. Mary's Church on Spring Street, Newport, Rhode Island. Jacqueline's wedding dress contained 50 yards of material, and the couple left the reception for their honeymoon in Acapulco, Mexico, amid a shower of rose-petal confetti and rice.

shunbridal

The reception was held on the terrace of the Auchincloss oceanfront estate

The reception for John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier's wedding was held on the terrace of the Auchincloss oceanfront estate, Hammersmith Farm, in Newport, Rhode Island. The 300-acre estate was the childhood summer home of Jackie, and the reception was held outside on its terrace. The wedding, which took place on 12 September 1953, was a grand affair, with an estimated 900 guests in attendance at the reception. It took the newlyweds two hours to shake hands with everyone.

The reception was a lavish celebration, with a four-foot-tall wedding cake and music provided by Meyer Davis and his orchestra, who played under a large canopy. The guest list included 600 diplomats, senators, and other social figures, with an additional 2,000 society fans gathered outside the church, cheering the newlyweds as they left. The whole event was described by one guest as "just like a coronation".

The wedding invitation, printed in black ink on cream-coloured paper, was simple and classic. It stated:

> Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Dudley Auchincloss request the honour of your presence at the marriage of Mrs. Auchincloss' daughter Jacqueline Lee Bouvier ... The Honorable John Fitzgerald Kennedy United States Senate on Saturday, the twelfth of September at eleven o'clock Saint Mary's Church Spring Street Newport, Rhode Island.

The original invitation is approximately six inches high and four inches long and is framed and on display at the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum.

Frequently asked questions

The wedding reception of John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier was held at Hammersmith Farm, Newport, Rhode Island.

There were an estimated 900 guests at the reception, though one source places the number at 800.

The newlyweds shook hands with each of their 900 guests, which took two hours. They also danced together, and Jacqueline danced with her new father-in-law, Joseph P. Kennedy.

Hammersmith Farm was Jacqueline's childhood summer home, a 300-acre oceanfront estate.

The wedding cake was four feet tall and had four layers. Senator Kennedy also ate a fruit cup. Meyer Davis and his orchestra played music under a canopy.

Written by
Reviewed by

Explore related products

Share this post
Print
Did this article help you?

Leave a comment