Andrew Cuomo & Kerry Kennedy’s Daughter, 29, Marries in Stunning Lace Gown: Pics, Including Father-Daughter Dance

A total of 400 people attended the ceremony, which included an array of public figures, such as Rory, Ethel, and Patrick Kennedy.

Other family members included Mariah’s aunt, Maria Cuomo Cole, and her husband, Kenneth Cole, who is a fashion designer, the bride’s grandmother, Matilda Cuomo, her uncle Chris Cuomo, and his wife Cristina Cuomo. Joseph Kennedy II and his son, Joseph Kennedy III, were also present.

The bride and groom wed on the historic Kennedy family Compound, which has three beautiful homes on the plot that overlooks the ocean.

Apart from being owned by the famous family for years, the Kennedy Compound is also special to the bride and groom because that is where they would spend their summers together.

The pair would spend time watching fireworks on the beach, convening for private moments during parties, and sailing away on a boat for hours. “There could be a hundred people around, but when we were together, it felt like there was no one else in the world,” recalled Mariah of the fond memories.

After the pair got engaged, they agreed that they would get married at the beloved compound. With only eight months to make their dream wedding happen, Mariah and Tellef wasted no time reaching out to their loved ones, who were more than happy to be a part of the wedding planning process and lend their expertise.

The duo also enlisted the services of Taylor Made Experience event planners, whom they met with once a week. Kerry Kennedy, Mariah’s mom, her twin sister, Cara Kennedy Cuomo, and Kerry’s boyfriend, made up the extended planning committee.

To her pleasant surprise, Mariah did not find wedding planning as stressful as she was told she would. “Everyone’s positivity, enthusiasm, and creativity made the process a meaningful and memorable experience,” stated Mariah of the planning.

Meanwhile, her younger sister, Michaela Kennedy Cuomo, was in charge of setting up the engagement party that was held at Sincerely, Ophelia, in New York City back in March (2024).

Mariah’s dad, Andrew Cuomo, who walked her down the aisle also played an important part in making sure her big day was perfect.

“My dad was [also] a constant source of guidance and support for Tellef and me in countless ways throughout the process and even agreed to take father-daughter dance classes, which were both special and a ton of fun,” Mariah shared.

The wedding weekend, which was commemorated by hoisting flagpoles with 100 white flags that had big pink hearts on them around the houses and on sailboats, started on Friday morning, July 19. Tellef and Mariah kicked things off by planting a magnolia tree together.

They then traveled to the dock to celebrate Tellef’s Norwegian Viking roots with a good old-fashioned sailboat race.

The rehearsal dinner, hosted by the groom’s parents, Torjus and Jessica Lundevall, took place on Friday evening, where the couple was joined by their families. After enjoying dinner at a local restaurant, a welcome toast was initiated to celebrate the duo.

The next day (July 20), the main event took place at golden hour. Photos and details shared by the bride, family, friends, and media outlets, show how magical the day was.

A stand-out image depicts Mariah’s breathtaking dress in its full glory. The blushing bride opted for a stunning strapless gown with an elongated train that featured intricate lace patterns on the top half of the dress and at the bottom of her train.

Mariah’s gorgeous gown was designed by fashion powerhouse Vera Wang. Finding the perfect dress for her took a few visits to different designers in New York City before she decided.

Speaking about how she felt when she put on the dress, Mariah gushed, “When I put on my wedding dress at Vera Wang, I instantly knew it was the one!”

She went further to mention that the Italian tulle gown made her feel happy, confident, and special—emotions Mariah said her husband makes her feel. Adding an extra layer of sweetness to the wedding gown journey, Mariah’s mother and mother-in-law flew to New York City to help with her decision.

Opting for simple glam, she sported classic makeup and left her curled tresses cascading down her back. Mariah completed her look with a dramatic veil and carried a pretty cream and white-colored bouquet of flowers. She accessorized with stud earrings, a diamond necklace, and bracelets.

Beautiful images shared by Mariah’s doting mother, Kerry, show more precious moments from the big day. One striking photo displays the gorgeous bride excitedly getting ready for her special day with her co-maids of honors and mom.

Cara and Michaela looked beautiful in their corset white and baby blue V. Champman gowns, which had subtle floral prints and diamantes along the bust line. Their dresses perfectly complemented the bride’s gown.

Mariah also had a total of 14 bridesmaids, who included two bridesmen, Michael Dresdale and Ben Pruzan, who are her best friends.

They wore smart light blue suits. As far as the groom’s wedding party was concerned, all 18 of Tellef’s groomsmen looked dapper in classic navy blue suits and ties.

Honoring the groom’s Norwegian Jewish heritage and traditions, the couple exchanged vows under a rose-covered chuppah that had four pillars hailing from different locations around the world, to represent the coming together of their families.

One came from Italy (representing the Cuomos), another came from Ireland (representing the Kennedys), the third came from Norway (representing Tellef’s family), and the last hailed from New York.

The striking structure was positioned outside with the gorgeous backdrop of the harbor providing the perfect setting for Mariah and Tellef to say “I do,” in front of Jesuit priest Reverend Matt Malone.

Speaking on the importance of including traditions in their wedding, Mariah explained, “It was important to Tellef and me that the wedding ceremony reflect our unique roots, celebrate who we are together, and intentionally usher in a long, successful, happy life together as husband and wife.”

Family members also read passages from the Bible about love prior to Mariah and Tellef exchanging vows they had written themselves. They then solidified their nuptials with the traditional breaking of the glass.

​​”It may sound trite, but marrying the man I love, Tellef, truly was a dream come true. Hearing Tellef speak his vows—about our love, our future together, and how we will raise our family—was deeply moving,” swooned Mariah.

After the ceremony, guests made their way inside Mariah’s grandmother’s house to enjoy some cocktails. The reception followed the cocktail hour and was held in the late John F. Kennedy’s former home, which now belongs to Mariah’s aunt and uncle.

Their front yard was used as the reception space, where a big white tent, adorned with lights and flowers, was pitched. Here is where Mariah cut her gigantic wedding cake. The beautifully classic dessert was so enormous that Mariah had to stand on a mini ladder, which her husband held onto, to reach the top.

The act of Mariah using a ladder to reach the top of the towering wedding cake that was served at the reception pays homage to a Kennedy family tradition.

Years ago, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, who got married in 1953, and Maria Shriver, who wed in 1986, did the same thing at their weddings.

“It was inspired by my great-aunt Eunice Kennedy Shriver’s wedding cake, a feat by Confectionary Designs. Atop was a silver bell with our engagement date inscribed,” detailed Mariah.

Photos taken at the reception also showed Mariah and her doting father, Andrew, sharing a dance. One picture displays the former Governor of New York impressively dipping his daughter low as he held onto her.

“Love is in the air! 💗 Getting ready with Mariah, Michaela, and Cara for Mariah’s and Tellef’s special day!” captioned Kerry alongside one of her carousel posts she shared of her daughter’s wedding.

Richard Mary Monti, the former President of the Italian Trade Agency, who was a guest at the wedding, also shared his own post on Instagram.

He posted a smiling selfie of himself surrounded by other guests and the bride. He penned a heartfelt, lengthy caption expressing his gratitude to have been present.

A part of his message stated, “Great respect for the wonderful Kennedy family, for their friendship, for their love for Italy, their dedication and for being so resilient to life’s tragedies, thanks to their unique energy and generosity.”

Other images shared by another guest gave followers additional glimpses into the wonderful day and celebrations. A heartwarming photo shows another moment from the father-daughter dance, where Mariah and Andrew swayed underneath the white tent strewn with shrub-framed chandeliers.

A hilarious photo shows another angle of the gigantic wedding cake with a little girl standing next to it to emphasize just how large it was. “and this cake (w/toddler for scale),” read the text that was layered over the image.

Another striking picture captured Tellef and Mariah being lifted into the air as they sat on chairs. Tellef also waved around a white rag as he held onto his wife’s hand.

There was also a video of the moment captured which showed Kerry being lifted in a chair by a group of people in the same way her daughter and son-in-law were.

Another photo shows guests dancing up a storm on the wooden dance floor while others cheered them on and clapped their hands from the sidelines.

A sweet picture showed a group of little kids sitting around in a circle as some of them enjoyed some delicious-looking chocolate cake with plastic forks.

Following the reception, Kerry spearheaded the after-party in her Edgehill Farm backyard where guests danced the night away underneath the stars.

Before tying the knot, Tellef popped the big question to Mariah last year (2023) amid a family vacation to Italy during Thanksgiving after the two had been dating for about five years. In a post that Mariah shared on Instagram on November 23, 2023, she proudly let the public know that she was spoken for.

The two photos she posted showed Tellef getting down on one knee to ask for her hand in marriage, with the ocean situated behind them.

Showing off her gorgeous diamond engagement ring, Mariah’s second photo displayed how happy the couple was to be betrothed. “That’s amore! Love you and yes a million times over @tellef920 ❤️,” penned Mariah in her caption.

From the love-filled pictures and captions, it’s clear that Mariah adores her husband, whom her dad approves of. During a 2020 brief on the pandemic, Andrew also shared a few words about how he feels about Tellef, who was still just Mariah’s boyfriend at the time.

She had brought him to a family dinner which took place after she helped her father update the nation about the pandemic. Joking with the public, Andrew advised fathers to always say they like their daughters’ boyfriends because if they don’t, the daughter will develop Natural Defiance Syndrome (NDS).

“It’s not documented, but it is a psychological condition where if you say as a father ‘I don’t like him,’ natural defiance syndrome kicks in and then they like the boyfriend more because he is opposed by the father. So the answer has to be like, ‘I like the boyfriend,'” quipped Andrew Cuomo.

After carrying on with the joke for a little bit longer, Andrew made it clear that he genuinely likes Tellef. He had even posted a photo of him, Tellef, and Mariah taking a walk with his shepherd-Siberian-malamute mix puppy, Captain. “The boyfriend is very nice and we like the boyfriend,” Andrew clarified during the news conference.

Looking at Tellef’s profile on The Jewish Grad Organization website, it becomes clear why he got Mariah’s dad’s stamp of approval. Apart from his Chicago-based digital marketing and analytics firm, Tellef worked for Google as part of their Google Marketing Solutions division.

He has had an active role with the Kaplan Family Foundation since 2012 and serves as a co-chair and trustee of their environment committee. By the summer of 2020, the young exec was voted onto the Executive Board at Embarc Chicago.

Tellef also studied at and graduated from Brown University in 2013 “with a dual-concentration in Economics and Geology.” He also played varsity basketball and football while there.