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May 11, 2008 11:00 am US/Central
President Bush: Jenna's Wedding 'All We Hoped For'
CRAWFORD, Texas (CBS) ―
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Jenna Bush and Henry Hager exchanged vows at the Bush family ranch in Crawford, Texas, on May 10, 2008.
The White House
Before leaving Texas Sunday, President Bush commented on his daughter's private wedding ceremony, which took place at the family ranch in Crawford.
The president described the ceremony as 'spectacular,' saying, "Our little girl Jenna married a really good guy. The wedding... was all we could have hoped for. The weather cooperated nicely. We're mighty blessed." Mrs. Bush, standing at her husband's side, made no comment.
A White House official confirmed by e-mail at 9:28 p.m. EDT Saturday that the two had been officially hitched.
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.
All Saturday, the restaurants, shops and parking lots in the small town of Crawford were packed. Tourists and locals alike were giddy about the wedding between Jenna Bush and Henry Hager.
Even though they were not invited to the nuptials, tourist Angela Johnson said being in Crawford on that day was historic.
"I brought my kids so they could be in the same town as two presidents at one time," she said.
Earlier in the day, tourists were treated to free wedding cake at a Crawford gift shop that also sold souvenirs and photos of the happy couple. Local entrepreneurs also made sure tourists enjoyed the same type of BBQ lunch that the ranch visitors enjoyed at a pre-ceremony meal provided by the groom's family.
The president and the bride picked "You Are So Beautiful" for their father-daughter dance, according to band leader Tyrone Smith. The Tyrone Smith Revue was asked to do "Lovin' in My Baby's Eyes" by Taj Mahal for the newlyweds' first dance.
As President Bush and Mrs. Bush boarded Air Force One on Sunday, a reporter on the tarmac shouted to their backs, "Did the wedding give the economy a boost?"
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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