A Look at the White House's Most Memorable Weddings

The process for having a wedding at the White House is surprisingly relaxed, considering the fact that its residents are perpetually the subject of scrutiny. "Really, the only protocol is the security," says Fling. Other than that, the couple in question is free to decorate and celebrate as they see fit. They don't have to pay a dime for the venue, although the couple does shoulder any other costs, like food andflowers. "Because the White House is the temporary residence of the first family, they're able to use it for events," Fling says. However, she adds, "No taxpayer money goes into a White House wedding."

You don't even have to be a member of the first family to score such an amazing location, either! The courtesy "extends to individuals who are particularly close with members of the first family," Fling explains, noting that these non-family members are often White House staffers. For example, in 2013Pete Souza, chief White House photographer during the Obama administration, was married in theWhite House Rose Garden, and in 1942 President Franklin D. Roosevelt's adviserHarry Hopkinsheld his ceremony in the Yellow Oval Room.

"There's no rule saying who can or can't be married at the White House," Fling says. "Their close relationship is really their 'in.'" That said, the vast majority of the remaining ceremonies and receptions were held for people who were in some way related to the first family, be they nieces, nephews, children or grandchildren. Only one wedding so far has belonged to a sitting president. That honor goes to President Grover Cleveland, 49, who wed Frances Folsom, 21, back in 1886, making her the youngest first lady ever.

One ceremony not included in the official list of White House nuptials may have been the very first. Allegedly, first lady Abigail Adams may have allowed thewedding of her lady's maid, Betsy Howard, to her lover in 1801. Adams merely hints at the event in a letter to her sister, however, so it has never been confirmed, and likely never will be.

The"first really grand"White House wedding was that of Nellie Grant, daughter of President Ulysses S. Grant. She was married in the East Room (the largest room in the executive residence) back in 1874. The East Room was specifically decorated for the nuptials, with decor like gold leaf accents and new chandeliers. Droves of flowers, bunting and luxe food offerings totally transformed the space to celebrate the beginning of an ill-fated marriage. Sadly, Nellie's husband and father of their four children devolved into a serious alcoholic.

Once Grant set the lavish precedent, others really started to take the ball and run with it. Arguably, the "most iconic" White House wedding, according to Fling, was that in honor offirst daughter Alice Rooseveltin 1906. "Probably the grandest [wedding] because Alice was extremely popular," she says, noting that the wedding was covered extensively in international newspapers. "People were really clamoring to get information."

Alice was already a hit with the press and public for her escapades and free spirit, and this wedding didn't disappoint. With more than 1,000 guests in attendance, Roosevelt's event dwarfed that of Grant, which only included 250 guests. PresidentTheodore Rooseveltspared no expense in regard to decor, either. "The White House was absolutely covered in flowers, greenery and palms, and there was a large breakfast buffet after," Fling says. Thousands of well-wishers gathered outside the White House to celebrate her union with Ohio representative Nicholas Longworth, who later became Speaker of the House. After the reception was over, the couple had to make a secret escape from the White House byclimbing outof the Red Room window.

Between 1918 and 1967, there were no documented White House weddings, apart from that of Hopkins. But over the next four years,一分之二的女儿结婚there. Lynda Bird, daughter of President Lyndon Johnson, married Marine Captain Charles Robb (later a governor and senator of Virginia) in the East Room in 1967. (President Johnson's other daughter Luci had her wedding reception at the White House in 1966.)

AndTricia Nixon(President Richard Nixon's daughter) married Edward Cox in the Rose Garden, which was the first outdoor wedding ceremony at the White House. The wedding was widely covered in the press. Among the details: thewedding cakewas an astounding 6-feet, 10-inches (2-meters) tall and had a top tier featuring a miniature gazebo modeled after the gazebo where the couple would exchange vows in the Rose Garden. Tricia was the last child of a president to be married in the White House, so far.

Originally Published: Apr 27, 2022