The young woman we once called Jenna and Tonic is now Mrs. Henry Hager.
A few details from the weekend wedding festivities of Jenna Bush and Henry Hager have leaked out. The word is that the groom's former boss, Karl Rove, was among the guests who were present to see the couple exchange vows as the sun set over the lake at the president's Prairie Chapel Ranch. Former Dallasite and Bush White House insider Karen Hughes was also there.
"This Mother's Day weekend was awfully special for Laura and me," the president said in a statement on Sunday. "Our little girl, Jenna, married a really good guy, Henry Hager. The wedding was spectacular. It's just – it's all we could have hoped for."
The silenced partner
There's a report that former President George H.W. Bush spoke at Saturday's wedding. But as a former head of the CIA he was very quick to neither confirm nor deny this. On Sunday, aboard Air Force One with the president, he wandered to the back of the plane to say hello to the press.
Asked whether he had spoken at the ceremony, the former president said, "It was supposed to be 40 minutes but they cut me back to 20." But he quickly added, "Kidding," and noted that he had been told not to talk about the wedding.
Bridal favorites
On Friday, first lady Laura Bush, Jenna's old-maid sister Barbara Bush and about two dozen girlfriends gathered at Salado's Inn on the Creek for a bridal luncheon. Saladoans assembled on the streets to try and catch a glimpse of any Bushes who came through.
Miles and miles of Texas
Anytime the president travels farther than from the White House to Blair House, one presumes he climbs aboard Marine One and flies.
But on Friday, he and the Secret Service were just like other Texans as they cranked up the air conditioners on their Suburbans for the 50-mile drive from Crawford to Salado.
The rehearsal dinner at the Old Salado Springs Celebration Center was hosted by Henry's parents, Margaret "Maggie" Chase Hager and former Virginia Lt. Gov. John H. Hager.
President's late night
Later, all 200 wedding guests were invited to a "Texas-Sized Celebration" at Salado's Silver Spur Theater. Despite being a Wake Forest alum and a University of Virginia grad student, Henry Hager was a good sport during the 9 p.m. singing of the University of Texas fight song.
It was a wild night for the president, who is famous for his early bedtime. His motorcade didn't leave Salado for the ranch until 9:38 p.m.
