In front of scores of family and friends, Naomi Biden and Peter Neal were married on the lawn of the White House on Saturday, in the 19th wedding in the history of the White House.
The first White House wedding with a president's granddaughter as the bride is on the South Lawn.
In front of guests seated in white folding chairs, Naomi Biden and Neal exchanged "I do's" during a chilly late morning ceremony. The South Portico of the White House was decorated with white flowers and a wreath. There was no place to stay. The guests arrived hours before the ceremony with some opting for open-toed shoes.
Some past White House weddings have been seen by the public. The ceremony was outside on the grounds of the president and first lady's house, but Naomi Biden and Neal kept journalists out.
Naomi Biden works in Washington. Hunter Biden is the son of the president and the first lady.
Neal is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania law school. He works at a law center. He is the son of Mary C. and William C. Neal.
The White House said that the couple were set up by a mutual friend in New York City and have been together ever since. According to the White House, Neal got down on one knee in Jackson Hole in September 2021.
The wedding party got out of the cold and headed back to the White House for lunch, followed by a dessert and dancing reception, according to a person familiar with the planning.
There were no other details released before the event.
The White House said that the president and first lady were going to release a statement and photos after the first grandchild of theirs got married.
The wedding rehearsal dinner was held on the steps of the White House. Neal's parents were present.
White House officials have said that the Biden family will pay for everything.
The wedding of Naomi Biden and Peter is a private event. Naomi and Peter have requested that their wedding be closed to the media and we are respecting that.
The White House has had 18 documented weddings over the course of 200 years. The president's daughter was involved in nine of them, the most recent being Richard Nixon's daughter in 1971.
First ladies siblings have gotten married there as well. The White House was also where one president tied the knot.
Some of the weddings were open to coverage by the news media.
The first wedding in the Rose Garden was held by Ed Cox. There are extensive notes on the media plan in her wedding planner's black binder.
The wedding of Clinton's brother and Boxer's daughter was not open to the public. A photo was released by the White House.
It was the same for the wedding of Pete Souza, President Barack Obama's official photographer, and his partner, who have been together for many years. The wedding was announced in a statement by the White House.
The White House Correspondents Association, which advocates for press access to the White House and the president, said it was "deeply disappointed" that the White House declined to cover Naomi Biden's wedding.
The WHCA board said that the first family's wish for privacy must be balanced against the public's interest in an event occurring at the People's House with the president as a participant.
The president of the White House Historical Association said that first families are the most important.
His privacy should be respected.
A big weekend is in store for the Bidens. The president's family will be in town for his 80th birthday on Sunday, and they will be having a party hosted by the first lady.
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