A Coastal Wedding at the Kennedy Compound in Cape Cod

Jul 06, 2023

Robert F. Kennedy’s grandson's wedding featured odes to sailing and their famous family.

Photo by Stephanie Vegliante

Sailing has been a staple part of every stage in Erin Daigle and Christopher George Kennedy Jr.'s relationship, which began more than a decade ago. The two met in 2012, while Chris was at Middlebury College with Erin’s sister, Kerry. One day in September, he invited Erin and Kerry over for sailing and a party—the rest, as they say, was history. Seven years later, Chris proposed on a boat—this time on the Chicago River on a summery Wednesday night, when boaters head out to see the city's fireworks display. “Chris was nervous the entire day and broke two Champagne glasses,” Erin remembers. “He wrote a five-minute limerick that described how we met, some of the adventures we went on together, our shared love of many activities, and plans for the future.” As the boat navigated around a turn in the river, he finally got down on one knee before fireworks lit up the sky.

Naturally, boats would need to be incorporated into their wedding day, and the duo had the perfect location to highlight their love of the water on lock: the Kennedy Compound in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts. Chris is the grandson of the late Robert F. Kennedy, so tying the knot on Cape Cod was a fitting tribute to both his roots and the couple's love of sailing. “When we got engaged, Chris’s grandmother responded with, ‘Well, you know I have a backyard, and I love weddings,’” Erin remembers with a laugh. “So, we chose the venue because of its historical significance and how it represents the two families coming together.”

After a year postponement due to COVID—the two originally said “I do” in a courthouse ceremony in Chicago during the pandemic—Erin and Chris finally celebrated the wedding of their dreams with 300 loved ones on July 24, 2021. Read on to see all the special details, as planned by Kate Murtaugh Events & Design and photographed by Stephanie Vegliante.

Photo by Stephanie Vegliante

Photo by Stephanie Vegliante

Photo by Stephanie Vegliante

The showpiece of the couple’s invitation suite was a custom watercolor crest by Kearsley Lloyd that highlighted items meaningful to the couple, from their puppy to the Chicago flag, puzzle pieces, a lighthouse, and—of course‚ a sailboat. The color palette was made up of “shades of blues,” says planner and designer Kate Murtaugh, “inspired by the beautiful surroundings of the Cape Cod coast, the couple’s love for the water, and the natural gardens and landscape of the Kennedy Compound.”

The couple welcomed their guests to the beautiful Kennedy compound with a sign that featured the very same crest. "It was important to have the wedding feel natural, coastal, and understated. We wanted our entire event to feel warm and inviting and not too stuffy,” the bride says of the day's overarching vibe.

Photo by Stephanie Vegliante

Chris is going to smile when he sees how confident I feel in this dress.

Photo by Stephanie Vegliante

Erin opted for “natural but elegant” makeup that would make her blue eyes pop, and a half up-half down hairstyle. “The way, I could dance the night away and not worry about my hair,” she says. Her Jenny Yoo dress, too, was a no-brainer. “When I found my dress, I thought, ‘Chris is going to smile when he sees how confident I feel in this dress.’”

Photo by Stephanie Vegliante

Photo by Stephanie Vegliante

Homages to family were a theme throughout the day, beginning with the shoes Chris paired with his navy suit. “Chris wore his grandfather’s shoes that had not been worn in several decades and still had ‘RFK’ stitched onto the sole,” Erin shares. “He had to get them repaired several days before the wedding, including calling and visiting several local shops before finding a willing shoe specialist to prepare them in time.” He finished the look with his grandfather’s cufflinks, too: a pair of golden anchors.

Photo by Stephanie Vegliante

Photo by Stephanie Vegliante

Erin and Chris have spent many nights watching the sunset over the water at Brambletyde, the groom’s parents’ house and former presidential home of John F. Kennedy on the end of Hyannis Port peninsula. “It’s a very special location,” Erin says. So, it set the perfect scene for an intimate first look: Chris waited facing the water at the break wall on the beach as Erin approached from the house.

Photo by Stephanie Vegliante

Photo by Stephanie Vegliante

The wedding party was a vision in blue—all shades, hues, and patterns to complement the coastal vibe.

Photo by Stephanie Vegliante

Photo by Stephanie Vegliante

The wedding day’s events were spread across the Kennedy Compound, beginning at the RFK House, Chris’ grandmother’s home. “The lush, coastal gardens on the compound grounds were the perfect backdrop for the organic, nature-inspired floral designs,” planner Kate says. “A two-posted arbor was set up in front of a beautiful ocean view and featured a mix of white and blue flowers.” Delphinium spilled from rattan baskets to mark the aisle.

Photo by Stephanie Vegliante

Photo by Stephanie Vegliante

Erin’s father, Peter, walked her down the aisle—but that wasn’t his only contribution. "The father of the bride is an avid gardener and grows many flowers in his home gardens,” Kate says. “Beach Plum Floral used some of his homegrown hydrangeas in the bride’s bouquet.” Additional florals—including white cosmo and thistle—were grown especially for the couple at Beach Plum’s gardens.

Photo by Stephanie Vegliante

Photo by Stephanie Vegliante

The couple wrote their own vows to exchange seaside. Erin’s were personal and funny—she promised to protect Chris from spiders—while Chris’ were “more serious than most people expected,” the bride says, “and very loving.” Their recessional was a mix of new and old: “William Tell Overture” by Gioachino Rossini faded into Natalie Cole’s “ This Will Be (An Everlasting Love).”

Photo by Stephanie Vegliante

Photo by Stephanie Vegliante

Photo by Stephanie Vegliante

Among the weddings DIYs? “We customized the flags on our sailboats in the harbor directly behind the ceremony, so they could be seen from the guest seats,” the couple shares. Compasses tied with twine to guest escort tags were yet another nod to sailing.

Photo by Stephanie Vegliante

Photo by Stephanie Vegliante

Photo by Stephanie Vegliante

Guests moved to the front lawn for cocktail hour beneath a stunning Sperry signature blue star tent overlooking the water. Signature drinks were named for their home; their dog, Corbett; and, of course, their sailboat. The latter, dubbed The Gyre, featured Mount Gay rum, ginger beer, and lime.

Photo by Stephanie Vegliante

Photo by Stephanie Vegliante

Photo by Stephanie Vegliante

Photo by Stephanie Vegliante

Another sailcloth tent, this time outside the compound’s JFK House, hosted dinner and dancing. Rattan lanterns and bistro bulbs lit the space, illuminating dinner tables dressed in sky-blue linens and topped with white wicker chargers. Garden-style centerpieces overflowed with blue and white delphinium, ranunculus, garden roses, and more. To set the head table apart, whitewashed wood was topped with ikat napkins and blue glass stemware. Custom round menus from Kearsley Lloyd and Albertine Press mirrored the couple’s crested invitations.

Photo by Stephanie Vegliante

Dinner stations offered a sumptuous array: sliced heirloom tomatoes with fresh mozzarella, grilled corn and sweet pepper salad, herb-crusted beef tenderloin, and cedar-plank salmon.

Photo by Stephanie Vegliante

“Chris and I did a choreographed dance for our first dance, to ‘Dancing in the Moonlight,’” Erin says. “We practiced ourselves without any professional training.”

Photo by Stephanie Vegliante

The vanilla cake with lemon curd featured a fondant cake topper of the couple’s dog.

Photo by Stephanie Vegliante

During the reception, Chris and Erin’s friend actor Keegan-Michael Key hopped onstage with The Sultans to perform a rendition of Chris Stapleton’s “Tennessee Whiskey.” It was one of the couple’s—and the crowd’s—most favorite moments.

Photo by Stephanie Vegliante

“We toasted with special Champagne flutes and family heirlooms called ‘Loving Cups,’ the same glasses used at Robert F. Kennedy Ethel Kennedy’s wedding,” Erin shares.

Photo by Stephanie Vegliante

“The day of your wedding is the best day of your life,” Erin reflects. “We were surrounded by our closest friends and family, who showered us with more love and joy than we could have ever imagined, which made our day that much more special.”

Wedding Team

Venue The Kennedy Compound

Wedding Planner and Designer Kate Murtaugh Events & Design

Officiant The Honorable Lori Lightfoot

Bridal Designer Jenny Yoo

Bride’s Hair I Do Bridal Styling

Bride’s Makeup Lisa Christine

Bridesmaids’ dresses Jenny Yoo

Groom’s attire Balani

Groomsmen’s attire The Black Tux

Engagement Ring Bridget Christian Designs

Wedding Bands Cape Cod Jewelers & ArtisansFloral Designer Beach Plum Event & Floral DesignInvitations and Signage Albertine PressCustom Artwork and Crest Kearsley Lloyd

Music The Sultans

Tent Sperry TentsLavatory Trailers Luxury LooCatering William Ference Catering

Cake Beth's Bakery & Cafe

Rentals: PEAK Event Services

Transportation Cape Destinations

Photographer Stephanie Vegliante