Clinton Wedding: Simply an Elegant Affair

Most women that dream of their fantasy wedding always remember falling in love the romantic Cinderella story, or perhaps they may ponder over Princess Diana’s wedding, which was an extravagant affair that included royalty, elected officials and celebrities. For the younger generation of brides most are looking after Celebrity Weddings and after this weekend many Brides will be looking into the details that were created by Chelsea Clinton for her wedding day. On Saturday Night a few guests will never forget the sight at a certain wedding in Rhinebeck, New York. A former president and the current secretary of state joyfully beaming as they were about to give their only daughter away.

The pending marriage of former first daughter Chelsea Clinton and investor Marc Mezvinsky has been billed as “America’s Wedding,” a blowout affair of the political and entertainment elite.

According to the press, this wedding is a lot more than that. It’s a confirmation of America’s shifting religious landscape.

“This is a state wedding that is claiming for all of us that things are changing,” says Rabbi Irwin Kula of the National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, referring to the increase in interfaith marriages. “It’s the public confirmation … the public reflection of a reality that already exists.”

Clinton was raised a Christian, and Mezvinsky is Jewish. Fifty years ago, this marriage would never have taken place. The pressure to remain faithful to one’s own kind was too great.

It’s a great time going on for the Clinton family as yesterday, their beloved and only daughter got hitched into the wedlock. This wedding was collecting highlights right from the start because Chelsea is not your ordinary girl; she is more a princess as being the daughter of ex- United States President Bill Clinton and the current State Secretary Hillary Clinton. The wedding began in a calm manner as the security was extremely strict which more transformed this wedding into the political one.

The photographs of the Clinton/ Mezvinsky marriage ceremony have been widely issued on the internet. In the photographs the couple seems very delighted as their long time love affair has finally renovated in to the marriage vows. The groom Marc Mezvinsky in his black formal dress and the bride in her beautiful wedding dress created by Vera Wang looked perfect and made in heaven with each other. Hilary and Bill Clinton looked very happy for their daughter’s big day.

Other permanent memories that took place would include: The bide, Chelsea Clinton, helping the minister remember the next line of verse when the breeze flipped his page over too soon. And then later, trading her silk strapless Vera Wang wedding gown for a slinkier little white number as she took the floor with her groom, Marc Mezvinsky, for a cutely choreographed dance to “At Last.”

The wedding party was formidable — a dozen bridesmaids and nearly as many groomsmen — and so too was security: Guests needed specially issued ID bracelets to board a bus to the ceremony. A few sharply dressed crashers who tried to blend in with the crowd were quickly escorted out. The party raged until 4:30 a.m.

There was a large attendance of 400 guests and it was said to be extremely lavish. Some say there was a seven-figured cost estimate to produce the event. It was said to be not over the top, and not crammed with celebrities but, more elite officials.

“It felt like a family wedding,” one guest said. “It didn’t feel like a big extravaganza.”

Efforts to keep the wedding underwrap may have failed, with leaks drawing hordes of journalists to the small Hudson River community this weekend — but even after the fact, the families kept a tight lid on most of the details.

On Saturday night, the Clinton’s released a statement expressing their happiness, along with five radiant photos of the bride in her white silk organza and tulle gown with a crystal-encrusted belt — three with her groom, one of the couple with her parents and one of her dad walking her down the aisle. But that was about it. Want to see more of Hillary’s plum-colored Oscar de la Renta dress? Sorry, absolutely no more pics. And none on Facebook: Guests had to hand over all cell phones and cameras.

The outdoor ceremony at Astor Courts was dignified but lighthearted.  Neither of the two celebrants — the Rev. William Shillady and Rabbi James Ponet — gave a formal sermon. Marc, 32  and Chelsea, 30 (who is now pursuing a PhD at NYU’s Wagner School of Public Service), laughed throughout, once when Chelsea seemingly dropped her groom’s ring. He broke a glass underfoot, in keeping with Jewish tradition, and they stood beneath an immense chuppah made of woven willow branches, white roses and hydrangeas.

The reception was held on the same property — not inside the Beaux-Arts mansion, but in a solid tentlike structure erected for the occasion. An 18-piece ensemble from New York (the orchestra of Jim Valli, a Clinton rep confirmed) performed big-band music. Bill Clinton, with an adoring look on his face, danced with his daughter to “The Way You Look Tonight.” Later the Clinton parents danced together, with no fanfare and little attention, looking as ecstatic as they did at the 1993 inauguration. And yes, they also did the hora, which put Bill and Hillary up in the chairs; up too went the grooms parents, ex-House members Ed Mezvinsky and Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky.

The dinner: Catered by the St. Regis Hotel in New York, it was “okay,” a guest said — short ribs, Atlantic char, a vegetarian option, and gluten-free rolls. The gluten-intolerant bride also selected a gluten-free cake from La Tulipe.

The flowers: roses and hydrangeas, all purpley-pinky-blue. It was a hue that corresponded with the attendants’ gowns, which we’re told were actually wedding gowns dyed a plummy color, after they couldn’t find a traditional bridesmaid-style gown they liked.

After the band wrapped up, guests moved to an after-party on the tennis courts, where a DJ played ’80s tunes and current Top-40 fare — you know, typical wedding stuff. Bill was on the dance floor; so was Hillary aide Huma Abedin with her new husband, Rep. Anthony Weiner.

Bill gave one of the toasts, of course, saying that ever since his daughter had been old enough to formulate a thought, he had “been outnumbered” in his household, two to one. Now, with a son-in-law, he said, “the playing field is even. I have someone else on my side.” The kind of welcome that any old dad might give, at any old wedding.

I am looking forward to reading more about this extravagant affair and I surely can’t wait to see all of the photos from this wedding. From reading about it, it sounds like it was a sophisticated and classy wedding celebration.

Photo’s and notes provided by: Google, YouTube, The Washington Post, and Political Review Journal

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