John McEnroe’s Lace-Clad Wedding with Tatum O’Neal vs. Second Nuptials

Before John McEnroe wed Patty Smyth in 1997, he was married to American actress Tatum O’Neal from 1986 to 1994.

The couple share three kids, their eldest Kevin McEnroe born three months before their wedding. On August 1, 1986, the tennis pro and the Paper Moon actress tied the knot in a ceremony at St. Dominic’s Roman Catholic Church in Oyster Bay, Long Island. The event saw close family and friends in attendance, including best man Peter Rennert.

Photos from the wedding capture John in a suit and red bow tie, waving to the crowds as he exited the church with his new wife. Tatum dazzled in an ivory gown featuring a sheer lace neckline, a fitted waist, and a tiered skirt with a lace underlay. She completed her look with small heels, a pearl necklace, and a headband of gypsophila that adorned her blonde curls.

The couple’s wedding attracted significant public interest, with around 500 people gathering outside the church hoping to catch a glimpse of the stars. John later admitted to The Guardian that the level of attention was unexpected. “I remember thinking, ‘I’m going to fly under the radar’ with my ex-wife. Like, who the hell are you kidding?” he said, reflecting on the intense media scrutiny.

John and Tatum first crossed paths at a Hollywood Hills party in 1984. Tatum later confessed she found him “very good-looking” and felt it was “love at first sight.” They married two years later and had two more children post-wedding: Sean, born in 1988, and Emily, born in 1991.

Their relationship, however, hit the rocks in 1992, and they ended up in a bitter custody battle. John accused Tatum of having a drug problem, while Tatum alleged that John had anger issues. Their divorce was finalized in 1994, and John was awarded full custody of the children in 1998 amid Tatum’s struggles with heroin addiction.

“I don’t think I ever got to that falling-apart stage, but I was having a hard time functioning,” John revealed to The Guardian about the aftermath of their split. “For the first six months, it was about just getting the kids to school and being there for them. But someone pointed out, ‘They’re seeing you with tears, and that’s not good for your kids.’ So, I had to get my shit together.”

Recalling his parents’ conflicts, Kevin McEnroe told People: “We were brought up where they didn’t talk much unless we spoke to them separately. We loved them equally and separately, and through their struggles, I think we developed very different relationships because of it. It was not easy at times, but I think every young person from a divorced family finds that it’s a challenging bridge to cross.”

John found love again with rocker Patty Smyth, known for fronting the 80s band, Scandal. The couple secretly married in 1997 in Hawaii, coinciding with the Oscars to avoid media attention.

The couple has never released details or photos of their ceremony, prioritizing privacy as the key to their enduring marriage. Smyth once told People, “I just thought if I kept it on the down-low, that we would stay together – if I threw it out to the world, that we wouldn’t – because I’ve seen that happen so many times.”

Source: Getty, The Guardian, Ron Galella, People, UK Press