First Lady Mothers of White House Brides

The Nixons dance at daughter Tricia's White House Wedding in 1971
(www.whitehouseweddings.com)

MOTB finds herself wondering about White House weddings this Presidents’ Day weekend, especially weddings of Presidents’ daughters. 

Come to find out - eight POTUS daughters have celebrated their wedding at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue when their dad’s were still in office. 

• Maria Hester Monroe March 9, 1820 
• Elizabeth Tyler Jan. 31, 1842 
• Nellie Grant May 21, 1874 
• Alice Roosevelt Feb. 17, 1906 
• Jessie Wilson Nov. 25, 1913 
• Eleanor Wilson May 7, 1914 
• Lynda Bird Johnson Dec. 9, 1967 
• Tricia Nixon June 12, 1971 

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Yes, that's a two-fer-one administration – during Woodrow Wilson's term! Other Prezzes have walked two daughters down regal aisles  (Johnson, Nixon) but not while living in the WH. 

While all these Presidential Daddies' Little Girls had Papa Commander-in-Chief to thank for dibs on the venue, their First Lady Moms ran the show (with the help of more than one wedding planner, I'm sure).  

Sketch of Nellie Grant's nuptials
(www.whitehouseweddings.com)

I'm figuring the lady on the far left of this drawing is First Lady Julia Grant, the MOTB of Miss Nellie Grant,daughter of Ulysses. It's the only publicity "drawing" of the event, appearing on the front page of Leslie's Illustrated  the morning after the Big Day in 1874. (I don't think the word paparazzi had been coined yet.) 

Lady Bird Johnson glimpses her daughter's way in this traditional pose.
(www.whitehouseweddings.com)

Found this lovely picture of Lady Bird Johnson, far left,  at daughter Linda's White House nuptials in 1967. Begs the caption Proud Mother of the Bride.

Apparently I'm not the only one who gets a kick out of  Presidents' daughters' weddings and the MOTBs behind them. This You-Tube video, posted five months ago, features First Lady Pat Nixon dancing with President Nixon at their daughter Tricia's wedding in 1971. Original footage was a Super-8 home movie shot by H.R. Halderman.