More details from Naomi Biden's White House wedding - The Washington Post

On Saturday, President Biden’s granddaughter Naomi Biden, 28, wed Peter Neal, 25 — the 19th White House wedding, and the archetypal for a statesmanlike household subordinate held connected the grounds since the Clinton era. The bride and groom shared their vows successful beforehand of astir 250 guests outdoors (brr) with the South Portico arsenic an awesome photograph backdrop. The ceremonial was followed by an intimate luncheon successful the State Dining Room and, aboriginal that evening, a dessert and dancing reception for respective 100 much friends. To reply the question instantly posed by critics — “Who paid for each of this?” — the reply is the Biden family, not taxpayers, according to the archetypal lady’s spokeswoman.

The groom’s household hosted a rehearsal meal Friday evening astatine the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Naomi wore a pleated tulle cape covered successful lace flowers for the rehearsal and past changed into a tailored jacket, according to decorator Danielle Frankel.

The adjacent morning, done their telephoto lenses and binoculars, the media could spot green-and-white floral garlands festooning the South Portico, and — hmm, let’s squint a small harder — is that 2 officiants? Three bridesmaids? The president making his entrance?

Yes, yes, and yes, according to an accounting of the weekend’s events by guests who spoke to The Washington Post, on with a glimpse astatine the printed program.

Security was tight, with a ample constabulary beingness astatine some Lafayette Square and the Ellipse, which were cordoned disconnected with yellowish portion and metallic barricades. Guests had to spell done inheritance checks and get a coronavirus test. It was wide but chilly — 39 degrees — and guests, who had to cheque their cellphones astatine the door, were fixed manus warmers and achromatic scarves for the 11 a.m. ceremony.

First, President Biden escorted the groom’s 2 grandmothers, each utilizing a cane, past turned around, jogged backmost up the aisle, and returned to the altar with archetypal woman Jill Biden. Then came the bridal party: Naomi’s sister Finnegan, 22, was maid of honor, and the groom’s brother, Robert, was champion man. The bridesmaids — who wore matching blazers to support lukewarm — included Naomi’s different sister, Maisy, 21, and her caller sister-in-law, Katherine “Betsy” Neal.

Naomi made her entranceway from the White House’s Diplomatic Room successful a lace-sleeved shot gown with a notched precocious neckline that channeled histrion Grace Kelly’s celebrated wedding dress. Her melodramatic lace-edged veil trailed respective meters behind. The groom, successful a three-piece navy suit — besides Ralph Lauren — wore a floral brooch arsenic a boutonniere. The archetypal woman wore a teal silk chiffon dress and matching belted wool crepe coat by decorator Reem Acra, who besides dressed her for the astir caller Kennedy Center Honors and the 2009 statesmanlike inauguration of Barack Obama.

The bride was escorted down the aisle by her father, Hunter Biden, and mother, Kathleen Buhle, to the tune of “Bitter Sweet Symphony” by the Verve. Though the president did not talk astatine the ceremony, Ashley Blazer Biden — Naomi’s aunt and the president’s girl — work “God is Love” from the New Testament. Another portion of the ceremonial included a speechmaking of “I Carry Your Heart With Me” by e.e. cummings. The groom’s father, William C. Neal, sang “Ubi Caritas” with an ensemble of singers from D.C.

The mates wrote their ain vows, which were officiated by a Catholic monsignor and a Presbyterian minister. “They reminisced astir their acquisition with each different and what brought them to today,” said Linzi Lane, a person of the Neal family. “It was beautifully done. … I don’t deliberation determination was a adust eye.”

Lane said a bee landed connected Naomi’s formal during the ceremony, and Peter tenderly brushed it off.

Vivaldi played arsenic the bride walked backmost into the White House for the luncheon. She could beryllium seen raising her bouquet triumphantly. She and Peter aboriginal did a photograph shoot, kissing connected the State Floor balcony. A tiny service of authoritative wedding photographers included Corbin Gurkin — who changeable Sophie Turner and Joe Jonas’s wedding and was voted 1 of the apical 1o wedding photographers successful the satellite by “Bazaar Bride.” A tiny service of unofficial wedding photographers included a drone that flew implicit the Ellipse to seizure aerial shots.

Programs were engraved with an entwined N and P, and included a enactment of gratitude from the couple: “Thank you for being beside america today. We are grateful to beryllium surrounded by the radical we love. Naomi and Peter.”

After the luncheon, the president and his girl Ashley attended Saturday wide astatine Holy Trinity Catholic Church successful Georgetown. An attendee says the congregation sang “Happy Birthday” to the president, who turned 80 connected Sunday. (The archetypal woman hosted a brunch successful his honor.)

Onward to the evening! Guests who didn’t marque the chopped earlier inactive had a accidental to fete the mates astatine a larger but inactive exclusive black-tie evening reception. Attendees reported that the impermanent database was packed with friends of the mates from Sidwell Friends, George Washington University, Penn and Columbia, but fewer Washington dignitaries. (Boldface names astatine the greeting ceremonial included erstwhile legislator Chris Dodd, erstwhile legislator Ted Kaufman, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his wife, Evan Ryan, who is White House Cabinet secretary.)

Don’t springiness america Cabinet members, springiness america the details!

Okay. The dress: Naomi changed into an ivory strapless gown with a scoop neckline, tiny train, and embellished buttons down the back, reports 1 guest. She wore her engagement ringing and wedding set implicit a brace of tulle gloves, and the aforesaid Tiffany diamond and pearl earrings she wore to the ceremony. Women’s Wear Daily reported that the evening formal was designed by Alexandra O’Neill for Markarian — the statement that the archetypal woman wore connected inauguration day.

The cake: Seven tiers and all-white fondant. Individual slices were handed retired successful boxes to attendees, arsenic a enactment favor. The spirit was “lemony,” says the guest.

The music: Two bands, who played a premix of romanticist oldies and popular music, including songs by Amy Winehouse and Beyoncé. In summation to the accepted archetypal creation and genitor dances, the bride danced with her grandfather, the president, whom she calls “Pops.”

“He ne'er stopped whispering successful her ear,” reported a guest. “It was astir apt 1 of my favourite moments of the full night.”

The enactment stretched passim the White House, with aggregate spaces for drinking and dancing. The white-and-green floral motif from earlier successful the time carried implicit into the evening’s decor, on with plentifulness of candlelight. The festivities were orchestrated by Bryan Rafanelli, 1 of the nation’s apical wedding planners, who planned Chelsea Clinton’s Rhinebeck, N.Y., wedding, arsenic good arsenic different White House vacation events and authorities dinners.

Peter offered a toast. Maisy wore a pinstriped suit. The archetypal woman wore an icy bluish knee-length gown, embellished with sequins. Baby Beau, the bride’s 2-year-old fractional brother, wore a tiny tux and reportedly had a tiny meltdown astatine the extremity of the nighttime — up past his bedtime, a impermanent speculated. The president stayed precocious to mingle with the guests.

Peter and Naomi, some lawyers, met connected a day arranged by a communal person successful 2018 and person been surviving connected the 3rd level of the White House. “These 2 fell successful emotion aft 2 days,” a friend, Asha-Kai Grant, wrote connected Instagram past year.

The grandparents of the bride issued a connection connected Saturday. “It has been a joyousness to ticker Naomi grow, observe who she is, and carve retired specified an unthinkable beingness for herself,” the president and archetypal woman said. “Now, we are filled with pridefulness to spot her take Peter arsenic her hubby and we’re honored to invited him to our family. We privation them days afloat of laughter and a emotion that grows deeper with each passing year.”

Rafanelli, the lawsuit planner, released respective photographs connected his Instagram account. Other than that, the authoritative channels person kept quiet, allowing the newlyweds a accidental to bask their day. Most friends did the same. But you didn’t request binoculars to spot that the mates were caput implicit heels for each other.

“Naomi was dancing from commencement to finish,” said a person of the groom. “They were conscionable truthful successful emotion and truthful happy.”

Jura Koncius contributed to this report.