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Noami Biden, the eldest granddaughter of President Joe Biden, wore three dresses while celebrating her White House wedding to Peter Neal.
On 19 November, the 28-year-old attorney married fiancé and fellow lawyer Neal on the South Lawn of the White House, the 19th wedding to be held at the Executive Mansion since 1800. The celebration also marked the first White House wedding with a president’s granddaughter as the bride, and the first one on the South Lawn, according to the White House Historical Association.
In a recent Vogue cover story documenting Naomi’s big day, it was revealed the bride made a number of wardrobe changes throughout the evening.
Naomi, the daughter of Hunter Biden and Kathleen Buhle, walked down the aisle wearing a high-neck, long-sleeved Chantilly lace dress designed by Ralph Lauren. The dress was paired with a cathedral-length silk organza veil, featuring a matching Chantilly lace border.
She completed the look with a pair of diamond-encrusted Tiffany & Co platinum earrings, according to CNN. The drop earrings reportedly contain South Sea pearls, which are listed for $9,300 per pair on the Tiffany website.
For the black-tie reception, Naomi changed into a strapless ivory silk Mikado Reem Acra dress, which had her grandmother Roberta Buhle’s pearls sewn into the six-foot train. It wasn’t the only special touch included in Naomi’s multiple wedding looks, as her Ralph Lauren gown also contained lace from Dr Jill Biden’s own wedding dress, which was stitched into the bodice.
The president’s granddaughter then switched into a third dress, a beaded fringed Markarian mini-dress, for some late-night dancing, according to Vogue.
According to Noami, the wedding dress she wore to exchange vows with Neal was inspired by the high-necked gown famously worn by actress Grace Kelly when she married Prince Rainier III of Monaco in 1956. “Like every little girl, I had a vision in my head – it was Grace Kelly’s dress I loved,” she told Vogue.
Meanwhile, Jill Biden, who is affectionately referred to as “Nana” by her grandchildren, wore a teal wool crepe coat and silk chiffon dress by Reem Acra for the wedding ceremony, followed by a gold embroidered, seafoam blue dress also by Acra for the reception.
According to Vogue, the first lady beamed when she saw her granddaughter in her wedding dress for the first time. “Oh, honey!” she said, as she stretched out her arms for a hug.
It’s fitting that American fashion label Ralph Lauren took centre stage during the quintessential American wedding – at the White House, no less. Naomi’s now-husband also wore the designer, with the groom opting for a navy three-piece Ralph Lauren suit. Nearly two years ago, President Biden also wore a single-breasted navy suit by Ralph Lauren to his inauguration ceremony.
Naomi and Neal, who met through a mutual friend, announced their engagement in September 2021. In April, the lawyer tweeted that she would be celebrating her November nuptials at the historic Washington, DC, residence, and thanked her grandparents for the opportunity.
“Peter and I are endlessly grateful to my Nana and Pop for the opportunity to celebrate our wedding at the White House,” she tweeted at the time. “We can’t wait to make our commitment to one another official and for what lies ahead.”
Three months later, Naomi announced the location of her White House would be on the South Lawn, a decision that both the Secret Service and her pets were supportive of.
“So not sure how best to update but was supposed to do so weeks ago… but we have finally figured out where the ceremony will be…and much to the relief of the Secret Service and with the dogs’ endorsement… we’ll be getting married on the South Lawn!” she tweeted, along with a photo of the sprawling White House lawn with the Washington Monument in the background. “Couldn’t be more excited.”
Out of the previous 18 weddings to take place at the White House, nine were for a president’s daughter. In 2008, Jenna Bush – the daughter of former president George W Bush – was married on her family’s ranch in Texas, but later held a reception at the White House.
Richard Nixon’s daughter, Tricia, was married in the White House Rose Garden in 1971, followed by a reception in the East Room. President Lyndon B Johnson’s daughter, Lynda, also celebrated her wedding in the East Room in 1967, according to the White House Historical Association.
In 1886, Grover Cleveland became the first and only president to be married at the White House while in office.
