Naomi Biden, presidents granddaughter, is married at the White House
Naomi Biden married Peter Neal on the South Lawn of the White House late Saturday morning, in the first wedding for a presidential family member held on the grounds since the Clinton era.
The impressive backdrop almost made up for cold temperatures. President Biden’s eldest granddaughter donned a long-sleeve, ballgown-style wedding dress with a high lace collar on a blue-sky, 40-degree day. The White House’s south portico was decorated with white and green flower garlands, and a floral arch and wreaths festooned the doors. The decor was faintly visible to a crowd of uninvited journalists and onlookers, who huddled outside the White House perimeter with telephoto lenses and ineffective phone cameras.
Guests had been told to leave their phones behind and dress warmly. They arrived at the White House’s pedestrian entrances in leather boots and wool coats and found white scarves waiting on their chairs.
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The ceremony itself lasted about an hour. Naomi, 28, was walked down the aisle by her father, Hunter Biden, and her mother, Kathleen Buhle, to the song “Bitter Sweet Symphony” by the Verve. President Biden escorted the 25-year-old groom’s two grandmothers, one on each arm, then turned around, jogged back up the aisle, and returned to the altar with first lady Jill Biden, according to guests who spoke to The Washington Post.
The bride and groom both wore Ralph Lauren. Naomi’s sister Finnegan was maid of honor, and the groom’s brother, Robert, was best man. The navy-blue-dressed bridesmaids included Naomi’s other sister, Maisy, and her new sister-in-law, Katherine “Betsy” Neal. Ashley Blazer Biden — Naomi’s aunt and the president’s daughter — read from the New Testament: “God is Love.”
The couple wrote their own vows. “They reminisced about their experience with each other and what brought them to today,” said Linzi Lane, a friend of the Neal family. “It was beautifully done. … I don’t think there was a dry eye.”
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Lane said a bee landed on Naomi’s dress during the ceremony, and Peter tenderly brushed it off in a rare unscripted moment.
Share this articleSharePeter and Naomi, both lawyers, met on a date arranged by a mutual friend in 2018 and have been living on the third floor of the White House. “These two fell in love after two days,” a friend, Asha-Kai Grant, wrote on Instagram last year.
The 250 or so guests were mostly family and close friends, with some VIPs in attendance. Former senator Chris Dodd was spotted. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his wife, Evan Ryan, were invited, too. But few White House officials were expected to be in attendance.
It was the 19th White House wedding ceremony in history, and the first for a presidential relative since Hillary Clinton’s brother, Anthony Rodham, was married in 1994. It was also the first for a presidential grandchild. A strictly private affair, the ceremony was paid for by the Biden family, so taxpayers are not on the hook, according to the first lady’s office.
Guests began streaming out of the White House shortly after noon. Few wanted to talk to the crowd of waiting reporters, who were eager to glean details. Tamara Keith, president of the White House Correspondents’ Association, criticized the secrecy around the ceremony in a statement. “The WHCA advocated for allowing a small pool of journalists to cover some portion of the wedding,” she said. “Our request for coverage was declined and we are deeply disappointed that the White House has chosen to keep this event fully closed to the press.”
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The grandparents of the bride issued a statement of their own after a luncheon and party for the newlyweds and select guests. “It has been a joy to watch Naomi grow, discover who she is, and carve out such an incredible life for herself,” the president and first lady said. “Now, we are filled with pride to see her choose Peter as her husband and we’re honored to welcome him to our family. We wish them days full of laughter and a love that grows deeper with every passing year.”
A larger reception, with wedding cake and dancing, was scheduled for Saturday evening.
Roxanne Roberts and Jura Koncius contributed to this report. This story has been updated.
correction
An earlier version of this article misspelled Maisy Biden's name.
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