Another Kennedy has tied the knot, and in doing so continued to honor their family roots. Eunice Kennedy Shriver married car dealership president and CEO Michael “Mikey” Serafin Garcia at the St. Patrick's Church in Miami, Florida, on Saturday.
The 26-year-old bride wore her grandmother, Special Olympics founder Eunice Kennedy's, stunning Dior wedding dress on her special day.
"My grandmother wore it at her wedding to my grandfather on May 23, 1953, and 67 years later, I wore it to marry Mikey,” Eunice told Vogue. "The dress has aged into a French vanilla ivory, and there are a few holes in it, but I didn’t care."
Both the bride and her grandmother were the same height and waist size, so the gown fit perfectly. Kennedy Shriver worked with Ever After bridal shop to restore and create a new matching bodice and ivory veil.
“The dress was as delicate as tissue paper,” she explained. “So we had to handle it with great care. I was afraid to even sit!”
Additionally, Kennedy Shriver also rode in her late grandmother's 1965 Lincoln Continental convertible, which was gifted to her from her grandfather, Robert Sargent Shriver. Kennedy Shriver's father, Anthony K. Shriver, kept it in mint condition all these years.
“I think my grandmother wanted to make sure I got to ride in her convertible," the bride added.
St. Patrick's Church was also very special to the bride and her famous family, as she had attended the church for most of her life and served as an altar server for 15 years. Although masks and social distancing aren't required in places of worship in Florida, the family made sure to take precautions.
“There was never a question as to where the ceremony would be,” she said. “We had a traditional Catholic wedding with a full mass. Our families only filled the first few pews, but the mostly empty church was filled with music."
"It might have looked physically empty in the church with only 32 guests," the groom added. "But the energy of that day filled the room. It was the best moment of my life. As I walked down the aisle with my mom and then watched Eunice walk in with her dad, it was tough to hold in my tears. She was the most beautiful bride ever. Throughout the ceremony, I made sure to soak in every moment with her until eventually walking out with a permanent smile for the rest of the evening."
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