Jackie met John on the dinner-party circuit in Georgetown, and the two hit it off. At the time he was a senator, but went on to become the President of the USA and Jackie the First Lady.
The couple had been dating for two years when he proposed with a Toi et Moi style ring, set with a 2.88ct diamonds and a 2.84ct Emerald. Surrounded by clusters of baguette diamonds, the ring was like no other. Jackie, recognised globally for her inimitable style, put her own mark on the ring by remodelling the ring to include more delicate flourishes of Marquise diamonds.
Married at St. Mary’s church in Newport, Rhode Island, the location was an obvious choice for the couple. Spending many summers together in Newport, where Jackie’s family owned a property, they had attended church together at St. Mary’s and, according to an LA Times report, always sat in the tenth pew together.
More than 900 guests gathered to celebrate the newlyweds reception, who took two hours to shake every guest’s hand. Their four-layer wedding cake was a hit and widely talked about at the time.
Jackie’s spectacular, ivory silk taffeta, portrait-neckline wedding dress remains one of the most imitated styles for brides to date. It was designed by Ann Lowe, the wildly talented trailblazing African-American couturier who catered to much of New York’s high society throughout the ’50s. Vogue has written a really interesting article on the practically unknown designer, despite her having created one of the most iconic dresses of the century. Click here to read the Vogue article.
