Church where JFK wed Jackie being restored to how it looked during their famous Newport wedding

  • John F. Kennedy, then a senator, married Jacqueline Bouvier at St. Mary's Church in Newport, Rhode Island in 1953
  • The couple worshiped there when they were staying at Jackie's family's property and always sat in Pew 10 
  • Architects are using a blueprint to try to restore the church to how it appeared when young Jackie walked down the aisle 

By Associated Press

Published: 23:53 EST, 5 October 2016 | Updated: 17:40 EST, 6 October 2016

The church where John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier got married is being restored to the appearance it had when they wed in 1953.

St. Mary's Church in Newport, Rhode Island, was the site of the wedding on Sept. 12, 1953, when Kennedy was a senator from Massachusetts. 

The couple often spent weekends and summers in Newport, where her family owned property. During those visits, including during his presidency, the couple worshipped at St. Mary's. They always sat in pew 10.

JFK, then a lowly senator from Massachusetts, married the beautiful socialite Jacqueline Bouvier on September 12 at St. Mary's church in Newport, Rhode Island

JFK, then a lowly senator from Massachusetts, married the beautiful socialite Jacqueline Bouvier on September 12 at St. Mary's church in Newport, Rhode Island

On September 12, 1953, Senator John F. Kennedy, D-Mass., leaves St. Mary's Church with his bride, the former Jacqueline Bouvier, after their wedding in Newport

On September 12, 1953, Senator John F. Kennedy, D-Mass., leaves St. Mary's Church with his bride, the former Jacqueline Bouvier, after their wedding in Newport

On October 1, 1961, President John F. Kennedy and first lady Jacqueline Kennedy, accompanied by Charles Bartlett and his wife, leave St. Mary's Church

On October 1, 1961, President John F. Kennedy and first lady Jacqueline Kennedy, accompanied by Charles Bartlett and his wife, leave St. Mary's Church

Five years after the wedding, in 1958, the Roman Catholic church installed a new organ, made by famed organ makers Casavant Frères of Quebec, Canada. 

The organ was so large its pipes and casework filled much of the choir loft, covering two stained glass windows and other architectural features.

'In 1958, we did not know that (Kennedy) was going to become president,' the Rev. Kris von Maluski said on Wednesday.

That organ broke in 2014, and the church is now restoring it and replacing the casework and pipes with parts that fit into the space and match the Gothic style of the church. 

An October 5 photo shows the front of the church, which is being restored to how it looked when the Camelot couple were married there

An October 5 photo shows the front of the church, which is being restored to how it looked when the Camelot couple were married there

Church officials are using a blueprint they found from 1937 so that the result will match 'what we think it may have looked like' when the Kennedys married, von Maluski said.

'They would have walked down the aisle seeing, hopefully, what we put up again,' he said.

St. Mary's was built between 1848 and 1852, and is a national historic shrine. When the U.S. Naval Academy was temporarily moved to Newport from Annapolis, Maryland, during the Civil War, St. Mary's served as its chapel.

The scaffolding used to help disassemble the organ stands in the sanctuary of the church, pictured

The scaffolding used to help disassemble the organ stands in the sanctuary of the church, pictured

Among the problems with the existing organ is that it obstructs archways in the choir loft, so the 40 choir members have to duck and crowd together. The new design will solve that, said Cody Mead, the church's music director.

'We look at this as a musical project as well as an architectural project,' he said.

Music director Cody Mead points to where organ pipes have been removed from in front of the stained glass windows in the choir loft of the famous church

Music director Cody Mead points to where organ pipes have been removed from in front of the stained glass windows in the choir loft of the famous church

The church is launching a fundraising campaign to help pay for the work, which includes the $600,000 cost of refurbishing the organ and $200,000 to reconstruct the choir loft, as well as additional money to maintain the instrument and provide musical scholarships and programs.

Von Maluski says the church attracts many tourists interested in the Kennedys. In the summers, it holds a special program called 'Return to Camelot,' which includes live organ music from the wedding and a video presentation about the Kennedys' time at St. Mary's and in Newport.

Pew 10, the pew where John and Jacqueline Kennedy sat during worship, is marked with a plaque (AP Photo/Michelle R. Smith)

Pew 10, the pew where John and Jacqueline Kennedy sat during worship, is marked with a plaque (AP Photo/Michelle R. Smith)

A plaque honoring the Kennedy's regular row can be seen on Pew 10 - the couple worshiped at the church when in town

A plaque honoring the Kennedy's regular row can be seen on Pew 10 - the couple worshiped at the church when in town

Scaffolding used to help disassemble the organ stands in the sanctuary of the Kennedy wedding church

Scaffolding used to help disassemble the organ stands in the sanctuary of the Kennedy wedding church

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