Jacqueline Lee Bouvier and John F. Kennedy were married on the morning of September 12, 1953 in St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in Rhode Island. The bride wore a dress of ivory tissue silk with a portrait neckline, fitted bodice, and a bouffant skirt decorated with bands and more than 50 yards of flounces. She wore a choker of pearls and a diamond bracelet that was a gift from John. The wedding was attended by 800 guests and dignitaries and was followed by a reception at the Hammersmith Farm.
It was such a grand event and great day in our history that we wanted to share the day in photos…
JFK Library
The lovely bride poses for a portrait before her wedding with JFK.
The young couple prays in front of the altar at St. Mary’s church. The ceremony was performed by Archbishop Cushing, a friend of the Kennedy family. Before the mass, a special blessing from Pope Pius XII was read to the couple in private.
The newlyweds emerging from the church. What a family.
Thousands of people came to wish the newlyweds their best, so it took quite a few guards to establish a path for the couple. You can tell Jackie may have been a bit overwhelmed at the moment!
After the wedding, the couple went out to the oceanfront estate at the Hammersmith Farm. Before Jackie was introduced to the 1,200 guests, she tidied up and prepared to do the customary bouquet toss to her bridesmaids.
Preparing to toss the bouquet!
One of the most fun moments on a wedding day is the period between the wedding and reception when the wedding party gathers and takes pictures off to the side of the gathering. There’s always a mixture of happiness and relief, and you can see it here as Jackie emerges, helped by all of her new ‘brothers’.
What a classic scene! Everyone watching to make sure Jackie is happy and her dress stays perfect for the pictures. The boys hanging out in the background.
This is one of our favorite photos from the series because you can see Jackie’s dress in all of its glory.
We LOVE this picture of the full wedding party preparing to take the group photo. You can just tell how happy everyone is.
Now everyone say cheese!
A scene from the Kennedy-Bouvier wedding. Groom John walks alongside his bride Jacqueline at an outdoor reception, 1953. Newport, Rhode Island. (Photo by Bachrach/Getty Images)
After the photos, the couple did their customary walk around the reception to greet the guests.
Caption from LIFE. “Bride and bridegroom finally sit down to lunch after the long, wearying ordeal of the receiving line. Jacqueline, whose wedding dress contained 50 yards of material, adjusts veil while her senator husband starts right in on fruit cup.”
What a precious photo! The probably-starved couple sit down first to what would be an amazing meal that started with a pineapple soufflé. Look at that smile on Jackie’s face!
Brothers, sisters, friends – everyone getting ready to announce the cutting of the cake.
PX 81-32:61 12 September 1953 Hammersmith Farm, Newport, Rhode Island Wedding of John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier. Photograph in the Toni Frissell Collection, Library of Congress.
With the dinner over and sun starting to set, the couple joined hands to cut the more four-foot tall cake to set off the rest of the evening of dancing.
As the Meyer Davis orchestra began to play under a huge canopy on the terrace, the couple joined for their first dance.
What a beautiful couple and beautiful wedding.
