President John F. Kennedy was the 35th President of the United States, known for his leadership during the Cold War and the Civil Rights Movement. His wife, Jacqueline Kennedy, was an iconic First Lady, celebrated for her impeccable fashion sense and dedication to restoring the White House and preserving American historical sites. On this day in history, on the morning of September 12, 1953, Senator John F. Kennedy married Jacqueline Bouvier in what was termed the “society wedding of the year.”
The Ceremony
The wedding of John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier was a high-profile public event that drew many comparisons to a royal wedding. It united two prominent and well-connected East Coast families. At that time, John F. Kennedy was a senator and one of the most eligible bachelors in the country. The Kennedy family was already recognized as a powerful political dynasty, and Jacqueline Bouvier was a beautiful, intelligent, and well-connected match. The media went into a frenzy over this marriage event.
More than 800 people were invited to the Catholic ceremony held at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Newport, Rhode Island. The event was presided over by Archbishop Richard Cushing of Boston, who delivered a blessing from Pope Pius XII. The reception attracted over 1,200 attendees, and the wedding party itself was quite large, consisting of more than 20 friends and family members. The reception took place at Hammersmith Farm, the home of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy.
Iconic Dress Disaster
Jackie Kennedy’s iconic wedding dress and the bridesmaid dresses were designed by the renowned African American fashion designer Ann Lowe. Her gown was crafted from over 50 yards of ivory silk taffeta and adorned with interwoven strands of wax flowers. It was truly a one-of-a-kind masterpiece.
One week before the wedding, a water pipe burst in Ann Lowe’s studio, ruining several dresses, including the wedding gown. Without informing the Kennedy family, Lowe and her team worked tirelessly to recreate all the damaged dresses in time for the wedding. Ann Lowe personally covered the costs of the second production and materials.
The beautiful dress is now periodically on display at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston.