High society and high fashion meet high security as Chelsea ties knot

Published on Sunday 1 August 2010 20:02

THE guest list included a former US president and the US secrerary of state, and that was just the parents of the bride.

It was high society inside and high security outside as Chelsea Clinton married her longtime boyfriend at a lavish riverside estate sealed off from the general public.

As befits the daughter of a president, the strapless white organza ball skirted dress that the bride wore made both a political and fashion statement.

Official photographs of the wedding on Saturday between Ms Clinton and investment banker Marc Mezvinsky released yesterday showed her carrying a bouquet of white flowers and being led down the isle by her father, Bill Clinton.

The mother of the bride, secretary of state Hillary Clinton, wore a fuchsia dress by Oscar de la Renta.

"Today, we watched with great pride and overwhelming emotion as Chelsea and Marc wed in a beautiful ceremony at Astor Courts, surrounded by family and their close friends," the Clintons said in a statement.

"We could not have asked for a more perfect day to celebrate the beginning of their life together, and we are so happy to welcome Marc into our family. On behalf of the newlyweds, we want to give special thanks to the people of Rhinebeck for welcoming us and to everyone for their well-wishes on this special day."

The wedding is speculated to have cost about $1 million, and it is not yet known how much Ms Clinton paid for her wedding dress, But in choosing the Vera Wang number with a raw-edged laser-cut tulle skirt, she was following a well-established American tradition, according to a Scottish fashion expert.

Tessa Hartmann, director of the Scottish Fashion Awards, said: "The fashion world has been in fever pitch this week about the Clinton nuptials. However, for a well-heeled insider it doesn't come as much of a surprise that Chelsea selected Vera Wang for her big day.

"After all she follows a long line of celebrities such as Ivanka Trump, Avril Lavigne, Jessica Simpson, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jennifer Garner and our much loved Victoria Beckham who sported a Wang creation for their nuptials.

"Wang is a master of simplicity, elegance and frivolity, topped by the most exquisite fabrics, luxurious silks and that idiosyncratic Wang signature.

"It would have been a political faux pas to chose a non US designer. Despite the obvious adoration the Clintons had of Oscar De La Renta, it wouldn't have sat well within the world of political fashion — especially in this economic climate. But there was simply no need, with Wang as the doyenne of US bridalwear.

"Wang triumphed in this take on her Fall 2010 collection; Chelsea looked quite magnificent and in all honesty a remarkable make-over on a young lady who is known for her somewhat staidness in fashion circles.

"Every girl's dream is to shine on this special day and Chelsea did just that. The bodice draped her slim frame, complemented by an embellished waisted belt (very on trend). The simplicity of her veil and even her floral arrangement was just right. Right down to her make up, which was significant but understatement — the dress does it all."

The event was the culmination of weeks of secrecy and build-up that drew onlookers to the small village of Rhinebeck, 90 miles north of New York City.

It is estimated that hundreds of guests gathered at the historic estate near the end of a near-perfect summer day of warm temperatures, blue skies and cottony clouds.

Rumours of attendance by Oprah Winfrey and Steven Speilberg proved unfounded, and celebrity spotters were left disappointed in the guest list.

Some of the Clintons' political friends, including former secretary of state Madeleine Albright and Terry McAuliffe, former Democratic national committee chairman, were spotted, as were Hollywood couple Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen.

Reporters, who had been searching for celebrities in vain for most of the day, quickly zeroed in on Danson and Steenburgen, prompting Danson to ask, "Are we the only celebrities in town?"

The ceremony was conducted by a rabbi and a minister, as Ms Clinton is a Methodist and Mr Mezvinsky is Jewish, and included a poem by Leo Marks titled, The Life That I Have, according to the family.

The road to Astor Courts was blocked off on Saturday — the venue's neighbours received a bottle of wine for their troubles — and the sky above was declared a no-fly zone by federal aviation officials.

Police and security guards fanned out around this usually sleepy town.

Consistent with Ms Clinton's desire for privacy, the family had released no details of the wedding beyond the date. But the scope of the event became apparent when more than half a dozen busloads of wedding guests were transported from a hotel in the village to the riverside ceremony as gawkers looked on.

Celebrity-seekers jockeyed with reporters for space over most of the day as well.

Donna Vena drove 50 miles to Rhinebeck from her home of Mount Kisco, New York, in the hopes of spotting a celebrity.

"Why not?" she asked on Saturday morning, a camera slung over her shoulder. "Big story. Maybe see Oprah."

Nearby, two young women passed out slices of pizza with "I do" written in pepperoni.

On Friday, there were sightings of Mr Clinton and his wife.

Chelsea Clinton and Mr Mezvinsky were friends as teenagers in Washington DC, and both attended Stanford University. They now live in New York City, where Mr Mezvinsky works at G3 Capital, a Manhattan hedge fund. He worked previously at Goldman Sachs as an investment banker.

Ms Clinton completed her master's degree in public health earlier this year at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University.

Mr Mezvinsky is a son of former US representatives Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky of Pennsylvania and Ed Mezvinsky of Iowa, friends of the Clintons. His parents are divorced.