RHINEBECK, N.Y. (AP) — It was high society inside and high security outside as Chelsea Clinton wed her longtime boyfriend at an elegant estate in a Hudson River village where several prominent guests were spotted beforehand, but the husband-and-wife-to-be stayed out of sight.
The wedding site, a Beaux Arts riverside estate called Astor Courts, was sealed off from the general public. Former President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton issued a statement announcing that their daughter exchanged vows Saturday evening with investment banker Marc Mezvinsky, and a few photographs later were released to media outlets.
"Today, we watched with great pride and overwhelming emotion as Chelsea and Marc wed in a beautiful ceremony at Astor Courts, surrounded by family and their close friends," the Clintons said. "We could not have asked for a more perfect day to celebrate the beginning of their life together, and we are so happy to welcome Marc into our family. On behalf of the newlyweds, we want to give special thanks to the people of Rhinebeck for welcoming us and to everyone for their well-wishes on this special day."
Miss Clinton, wearing a strapless white gown with a full skirt and silver beading around the waist and carrying a bouquet of white flowers, was escorted down the aisle by her father. The former president and the groom wore dark suits, while the mother of the bride wore a fuchsia dress.
The event was the culmination of weeks of secrecy and buildup that drew onlookers to the small village of Rhinebeck, 90 miles north of New York.
It is estimated that hundreds of guests gathered at the historic estate near the end of a near-perfect summer day of warm temperatures, blue skies and cottony clouds. The ceremony was conducted by a rabbi and a minister as Miss Clinton is Methodist and Mr. Mezvinsky is Jewish, and included a poem by Leo Marks titled "The Life That I Have," according to the family.
The road to Astor Courts was blocked off Saturday -- neighbors received bottle of wine for their troubles -- and the sky above was declared a no-fly zone by federal aviation officials. Police and security guards fanned out around this usually sleepy town.
Consistent with Miss Clinton's desire for privacy, the family had released no details of the wedding beyond the date. But the scope of the event became apparent when more than a half-dozen busloads of wedding guests --men in black tie, women in dresses -- were transported from a hotel in the village to the riverside ceremony as gawkers looked on.
Celebrities spotted in Rhinebeck for the event included actors Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen; fashion designer Vera Wang, believed to have designed the wedding gown; Madeleine K. Albright, who was secretary of state during Mr. Clinton's second term as president; and Terry McAuliffe, former Democratic National Committee chairman. The former president's half brother, Roger Clinton, was spotted early Saturday afternoon with his son, Tyler, picking up food at a restaurant.
Reporters who searched for celebrities in vain for most of the day, quickly zeroed in on Mr. Danson and Miss Steenburgen, prompting Mr. Danson to ask, "Are we the only celebrities in town?"
