Jacqueline Kennedy married Aristotle Onassis on October 20, 1968 on his private Greek island of Skorpios.
The former First Lady of the United States was a quarter-century younger than the shipping billionaire.
Whether there was love, affection or money, it all seemed irrelevant. When American novelist Truman Capote asked her why she married him, she said, “I can’t very well marry a dentist from New Jersey!”
For her traditional Greek Orthodox wedding ceremony, Jackie O wore a knee-length lace-covered beige Valentino dress and a ribbon in her hair — an outfit which would become fashion house’s most successful couture piece ever.
After they were announced as husband and wife, the newlyweds made their way to Onassis’ famous yacht — the Christina — where they celebrated with friends and family.
The world was captivated by the wedding, especially the American media who saw their former First Lady running off to marry a Greek tycoon on an island.
The Kennedy children, Caroline and John, Jr., participated in the ceremony by holding candles and Jackie’s sister Lee Radziwill was the matron of honor. The invitation list included only about 40 close family and friends.
As a result of the marriage, the former First Lady lost the Secret Service protection entitled to her as a widow of an American president. The media also pinned her with a new name — one by which she is arguably now best known — Jackie O.
Jackie Kennedy & Aristotle Onassis Wedding Footage
