George Boyle
The Kennedy family has had several notable weddings over the years, with the most famous being the wedding of John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier on September 12, 1953, in Newport, Rhode Island. The reception was held on the terrace of the 300-acre Auchincloss oceanfront estate, Hammersmith Farm, for more than 1,200 guests. The guest list included politicians, writers, and movie stars. The wedding became national news and was considered one of the most high-profile American weddings of the 20th century.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | September 12, 1953 |
| Couple | John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier |
| Location | St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church, Newport, Rhode Island |
| Reception venue | Hammersmith Farm, the 300-acre Auchincloss estate |
| No. of guests | 800-900 |
| Dress | Ivory tissue silk with a portrait neckline, a fitted bodice, and a bouffant skirt |
| Veil | Rose-point lace, draped from a tiara of lace and orange blossoms |
| Jewellery | Choker of pearls and a diamond bracelet |
| Bouquet | Pink and white spray orchids and gardenias |
| Cake | Six or seven tiers |
| First dance | "I Married an Angel" |
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What You'll Learn
John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier's wedding reception in Newport, Rhode Island
John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier tied the knot on September 12, 1953, in Newport, Rhode Island. The wedding, which took place at St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church, was followed by a grand reception at Hammersmith Farm, the bride's childhood summer home. The Bouviers' 300-acre estate overlooked Narragansett Bay and hosted a large outdoor celebration for the newlyweds.
The wedding was considered the society event of the year, with an estimated 750-800 guests at the ceremony and an additional 400-450 at the reception, bringing the total number of attendees to around 1,200. Outside, 2,000 fans cheered the couple as they left the church. The reception featured dinner, dancing, and a King Arthur-style table with a towering six-tier wedding cake. Life Magazine photographer Lisa Larsen captured the couple enjoying their first dinner and dancing under a festive striped tent.
The wedding of John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier was one of the most high-profile American weddings of the 20th century. The couple, who first met in 1951 at a dinner party in Washington, DC, were featured on the cover of Life magazine mere months before their wedding. The event was so popular that it took Senator and Mrs. Kennedy two hours to shake the hands of their well-wishers.
The bride's gown was an ivory tissue-silk dress with a portrait neckline and a bouffant skirt adorned with wax flowers. It was designed by Black dressmaker Ann Lowe, who was highly sought-after at the time and had an elite clientele. However, she was not given any credit by the Kennedys for the creation. The iconic ensemble was completed with a rose-point lace veil and pearls, making it one of the most memorable bridal looks of all time.
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The reception was held at the 300-acre Hammersmith Farm
Jacqueline Bouvier and John F. Kennedy, arguably the most famous Kennedy couple, got married on September 12, 1953, in Newport, Rhode Island. The reception was held at the 300-acre Hammersmith Farm, the childhood home of Jacqueline and the stepfather of the bride's oceanfront estate. The 28-room main house was built in 1887 for John W. Auchincloss, the uncle of Jacqueline Kennedy's stepfather, Hugh D. Auchincloss. The estate was located on what was originally known as "Hammersmith Island," possibly named after the English hometown of William Brenton, the 17th-century governor of Rhode Island, who established the first farm on the site in 1640.
The wedding was one of the most high-profile American weddings of the 20th century, with around 1,200 guests in attendance. The reception featured a large outdoor celebration, with the newlyweds spending three hours greeting guests on the receiving line. After lunch was served, the party continued with dancing, cake-cutting, and the bridal bouquet toss. The reception was also notable for its grand King Arthur-style table, where the couple was surrounded by JFK's many siblings as they cut their six-tier wedding cake.
The bride's dress was an ivory tissue-silk gown with a portrait neckline and a bouffant skirt with wax flowers, designed by Black dressmaker Ann Lowe. The look was completed with an heirloom rose-point lace veil and pearl jewellery, creating one of the most iconic bridal ensembles of all time. The groom's brother, Bobby Kennedy, served as best man, and the bride's sister, Lee, was the matron of honour.
Following the reception, the couple travelled to New York and stayed at the Waldorf-Astoria in Manhattan before flying to Acapulco, Mexico, for their honeymoon. During their honeymoon, Jack caught a large sailfish, which was later stuffed and mounted. Years later, after Jack became President, the "honeymoon fish" was hung in the White House.
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The Bouvier and Kennedy families
The Bouvier-Kennedy wedding was one of the most high-profile American weddings of the 20th century, with more than 800 guests in attendance, including politicians, writers, and movie stars. The guest list was extensive and included powerful individuals from Hollywood, Washington, D.C., and Boston. The wedding cake was four feet tall, and the newlyweds danced to "I Married an Angel" at their reception. The event was so grand that one guest compared it to a "coronation."
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The wedding cake, four feet tall
John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier's wedding on September 12, 1953, in Newport, Rhode Island, was a grand affair. The wedding cake was a towering four feet tall, with six or seven tiers of intricately piped white cake with raspberry jam and raspberry frosting as the filling, covered with vanilla buttercream. The cake was so tall that the bride, Jackie Kennedy, had to stand on a ladder to cut it. The cake was made by Plourde's Bakery in Fall River, and Jackie is said to have chosen the bakery herself, opting for a simple flavour pairing. The cake was so popular that it was served at JFK's inauguration and other inaugural balls, and now anyone can order a slice online.
The wedding itself was a society event, with over 800 guests in attendance, including notable individuals. The bride wore a dress of ivory tissue silk with a portrait neckline, a fitted bodice, and a bouffant skirt embellished with bands of over fifty yards of flounces. Her rosepoint lace veil was draped from a tiara of lace and orange blossoms, and she wore a choker of pearls and a diamond bracelet that was a gift from her groom. The groom, John F. Kennedy, would go on to become the President of the United States, and their wedding was one of the most high-profile American weddings of the 20th century.
The reception was held at the Bouvier family estate, Hammersmith Farm, a 300-acre property overlooking Narragansett Bay. The newlyweds sat front and centre of a King Arthur-style table with their tiered wedding cake, surrounded by JFK's many siblings. Outside, 2,000 fans cheered the newlyweds as they left the church, and it took the couple two hours to shake hands with all their guests. The wedding was considered a major event, with one guest describing it as "just like a coronation".
The Kennedy-Bouvier wedding was a significant event in American history, with the couple becoming one of the most famous and iconic pairs of their time. The wedding cake, standing at four feet tall, was a stunning centrepiece that delighted the guests and continues to capture the public's imagination even today.
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The guest list and the media
The wedding of John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier on 12 September 1953 in Newport, Rhode Island, was a grand spectacle. The guest list, which was extensive, included powerful people from Hollywood, Washington, D.C., and Boston. There were 900 guests at the reception, and it took the couple two hours to shake their hands. The guest list included politicians, well-known writers, and movie stars. More than 20 people were in the wedding party, with the groom's side counting brothers Ted and Robert, while the bride's attendants included her sister Lee Bouvier and her future sister-in-law Ethel Kennedy.
The wedding was a huge event, with national and international media coverage. It was featured on the cover of Life magazine, with the couple pictured on a sailboat with the headline, "Senator Kennedy Goes a-Courting." The magazine also published wedding photos a few weeks later, with a guest describing the event as "just like a coronation." The wedding was also covered by other major newspapers, with the pair frequently featured in the society pages.
The wedding of JFK's son, John F. Kennedy Jr., to Carolyn Bessette in 1996 was also a highly publicized event, with paparazzi following the couple everywhere they went. However, they planned an intimate, secret wedding on Cumberland Island in Georgia, with only 40 guests in attendance.
Another well-known Kennedy wedding was that of Eunice Kennedy, the daughter of Rose and Joseph Kennedy, to politician and diplomat Robert Sargent Shriver on 23 May 1953 in New York City. The guest list for this wedding is not known, but it was a grand ceremony held at St. Patrick's Cathedral, with a reception at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.
The wedding of Patricia Kennedy, Joseph and Rose Kennedy's fourth daughter, to famous actor Peter Lawford, was also a notable event, although the guest list and media coverage are not widely documented.
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Frequently asked questions
Hammersmith Farm, a 300-acre estate in Newport, Rhode Island.
Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City.
The Plaza Hotel in New York City.
The Plaza Hotel in New York City.
The historic Greyfield Inn on Cumberland Island in Georgia.
