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President Bush (web|news|bio) and first lady Laura Bush didn't share their daughter's wedding with the nation, but the president eagerly shared their joy on Sunday about Jenna Bush's marriage to Henry Hager. "We're mighty blessed," Bush said at an airport in Waco where he boarded Air Force One to return to Washington.
Bush called the wedding "spectacular," saying that his daughter and new son-in-law exchanged vows just as the sun set at the Texas ranch.
"This Mother's Day weekend was awfully special for Laura and me," said the president, his wife standing at his side.
Bush referred to the new bride as "our little girl Jenna" and declared his new son-in-law to be "a really good guy"
A White House official confirmed by e-mail at 9:28 p.m. EDT Saturday that the two had been officially hitched.
The party ensued. The more than 200 family and friends were entertained by the Tyrone Smith Revue, a 10-piece party band from Nashville, Tenn. The musicians gave the newlyweds what Smith described as a "get down" party.
The closely guarded affair at the 1,600-acre ranch was very different from other first family weddings like Luci Baines Johnson's in 1966, which was watched by millions. Jenna and Hager wanted privacy so they didn't invite reporters or allow television cameras to film the nuptials, which are now part of presidential history.
But it wasn't a complete media blackout. In recent days, the president, first lady and White House spokesmen dribbled out details about the bride's dress, the ring, the wedding attire and pre-wedding events - all part of a communications strategy to disclose bits of information, but keep the wedding from becoming a media circus.
Written By DEB RIECHMANN
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