Weddings and the White House
From First Lady Dolley Madison's sister Lucy Payne Washington's wedding in 1812 to the nuptials of President Joseph Biden and First Lady Jill Biden's granddaughter Naomi Biden on the South Lawn in November 2022, the White House has long been the site of wedding ceremonies and receptions. In over two hundred years, there have been nineteen documented weddings and four receptions hosted at the White House.
Compiled by the White House Historical Association. Please credit the Association by its full name when using this information.
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Featured
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Backgrounder
White House Weddings
Weddings bring sentimental joy to families, and the same is true for weddings of first families at the White House. White House weddings have long fascinated the public, and many Americans have closely followed along with the festivities.
Related
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PodcastA White House Wedding: A Conversation with Lynda Johnson Robb
Featuring Lynda Johnson Robb, daughter of President Lyndon Baines Johnson
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White House Weddings and Receptions
By Elyse Werling In this article, Elyse Werling illustrates a timeline of White House ceremonies and receptions from the James Madison administration to the Barack Obama administration.
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What Flavor is the Cake?
by Bethanee Bemis In this article, Bethanee Bemis examines how traditions for releasing wedding details to the public have evolved. Included are wedding cake recipes released to the press for the weddings of Luci and Lynda Johnson and Patricia Nixon.
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Alice Roosevelt Weds Nicholas Longworth
by Selwa "Lucky" Roosevelt In this article, Selwa (Lucky) Roosevelt brings to life the 1906 wedding of Theodore Roosevelt's eldest child Alice Roosevelt.
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A First Daughter’s White House Wedding: Etiquette Wars and a Celebration at Stephen Decatur’s House
by Lauren McGwin In this article, author Lauren McGwin looks at the complexities surrounding Maria Monroe's limited 1820 wedding invitation list. Although offended when not invited to the wedding, high society was welcomed to a reception at Stephen Decatur's house on the eve of the duel that would take his life.
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Nellie Grant Marries in the East Room
by William Adair In this article, William Adair presents the story of elaborate architectural features installed by President Ulysses S. Grant to embellish the East Room for his daughter Nellie Grant's 1875 wedding. Removed during the twentieth century, the relics were recently rediscovered by the author who shares the story of their journey from White House to auction house.
Digital Library Collections
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Press Image CollectionWhite House Weddings