Thaindian News

By Arun Kumar
Washington, July 29 (IANS) It has been billed as the wedding of the decade and of the century, but President Barack Obama has no invitation to the star-studded weekend wedding of former first daughter Chelsea Clinton.

“I was not invited to the wedding because I think Hillary and Bill, properly, want to keep this thing for Chelsea and her soon-to-be husband,” Obama told the ladies of ABC’s “The View” Wednesday.

Obama started out by joking, “You don’t want two presidents at one wedding! All the secret service, guests going through (metal detectors), all the gifts being torn apart …”

Then host Barbara Walters asked directly if former president Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had invited him to the nuptials, the president said no.

“I was not invited to the wedding,” he said. “because I think Hillary and Bill, properly, want to keep this thing for Chelsea and her soon-to-be husband.”

Obama said he agreed with the sentiment and told the hosts and the audience, “Sorry, ya’ll probably will not be getting invited to Sasha’s wedding or Malia’s wedding, either.”

Clintons are guarding the details of the upcoming nuptials like state secrets, and haven’t released any information. Hillary Clinton recently said she’s “under very strict orders” not to talk about it. But count on pesky reporters to scoop out some.

Chelsea, 30, rumour has it, is all set to wed her investment-banker boyfriend Marc Mezvinsky, 32, Saturday at a posh private estate 90 miles north of Manhattan.

Built as a Beaux Arts style playground for John Jacob Astor IV more than a century ago, the estate features the sort of commanding view that once inspired Hudson River School painters, as well as 50 acres of buffer space to shield the party from prying eyes.

The guest list is suspected to number between 400-500 invitees, many of whom will likely stay at Rhinebeck’s Beekman Arms & Delamater Inn, which boasts a plaque that Bill and Hillary Clinton have eaten there.

The Hudson Valley News reported that attendees may include Oprah Winfrey, Barbara Streisand, Steven Spielberg, former Clinton adviser Harold Ickes, media mogul Ted Turner, former British prime minister John Major and historian Doris Kearns Goodwin.

Speculation is rife on what dress Chelsea will wear. No confirmation on this yet, said Politico.

But after weeks of reports that the dress was either a design by Oscar de la Renta or Vera Wang, Chelsea’s visit to Wang’s store in New York Tuesday makes it likely she is going with the latter.

Three companies are said to be catering the event: Blue Ribbon Restaurants, The St. Regis Hotel and Olivier Cheng Catering.

TMZ reported this week that they had a copy of the playlist Clinton and her fiancé gave to the live band playing at the wedding. The songs are a mix of oldies and pop hits, including several Michael Jackson songs - “Billie Jean”, “The Way You Make Me Feel”, “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” and “Rock With You”.

One element of the welcome package waiting for guests at their hotels will be a bottle of wine from a nearby vineyard called, quite appropriately, “Clinton Vineyards and Winery”, the Wall Street Journal has reported.

Floral arrangements will be supplied by Boston-based Winston Flowers and the floral designer is Jeff Leatham - who counts the Four Seasons and Madonna as his clients.

And the deluxe portable toilets supposedly rented for the outdoor event cost an estimated $15,000, according to TMZ.

(Arun Kumar can be contacted at arun.kumar@ians.in)