NY town abuzz pre-clinton wedding
Source: Agencies |
July 30, 2010, Friday
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NEVER mind that the details about Chelsea Clinton's wedding are being guarded like state secrets. The postcard-pretty upstate town of Rhinebeck is ready for its close-up.
Clinton and her parents, former US President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, have not even confirmed that her wedding is being held in Rhinebeck. Still, signs congratulating her hang in shop windows, residents are talking to TV crews and officials are bracing for crowds.
Clinton, 30, will wed investment banker Marc Mezvinsky tomorrow, and this little Hudson Valley town of upscale boutiques and pricey homes north of New York City is expecting an influx of celebrity guests, reporters and onlookers.
It's all but certain that the couple will wed tomorrow evening at Astor Courts, a secluded estate along the Hudson River 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 20 hectares of buffer space to shield the party from prying eyes.
The spot is a bit more than an hour north of Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton's home in suburban Chappaqua and about 145 kilometers north of New York City.
The Clintons - and the town - have been silent when it comes to wedding details. The cone of silence appears also to cover contractors, who are reluctant to talk about their dealings with the Clintons.
The agent at the front desk of the Beekman Arms, which reportedly will put up wedding guests, politely said yesterday he could not comment on anything related to the weekend.
The story was the same at nearby Clinton Vineyards - unrelated to the former president - which has in the past bottled special "Victory White" wines for the Clintons during their political campaigns.
The silence has hardly stopped the media. The gossip website TMZ reported that the couple's wedding playlist includes Abba's "Dancing Queen." Wedding planners not involved in the ceremony have quoted cost estimates as high as US$5 million. Two Norwegian journalists were arrested last week for trespassing at Astor Courts.
On Wednesday, locals shared the sidewalks with camera crews conducting interviews. People were generally supportive, whether it was merchants expecting a boost in business or residents caught up in the buzz.
A number of shops posted signs like "Congratulations Marc and Chelsea." One shop posted pictures of the Clintons, and a sign on a cosmetics store read: "Oprah! Please make my soap one of your favorite things." (Winfrey was reportedly invited.)
The official secrecy didn't appear to bother residents too much. A couple of people said they felt bad that Chelsea went through tumultuous times when her father was president, and said they didn't begrudge the family a little privacy now.
The reaction wasn't totally positive. Some worry about traffic jams; others wonder why the details are being kept secret so close to the wedding.
Clinton and her parents, former US President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, have not even confirmed that her wedding is being held in Rhinebeck. Still, signs congratulating her hang in shop windows, residents are talking to TV crews and officials are bracing for crowds.
Clinton, 30, will wed investment banker Marc Mezvinsky tomorrow, and this little Hudson Valley town of upscale boutiques and pricey homes north of New York City is expecting an influx of celebrity guests, reporters and onlookers.
It's all but certain that the couple will wed tomorrow evening at Astor Courts, a secluded estate along the Hudson River 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 20 hectares of buffer space to shield the party from prying eyes.
The spot is a bit more than an hour north of Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton's home in suburban Chappaqua and about 145 kilometers north of New York City.
The Clintons - and the town - have been silent when it comes to wedding details. The cone of silence appears also to cover contractors, who are reluctant to talk about their dealings with the Clintons.
The agent at the front desk of the Beekman Arms, which reportedly will put up wedding guests, politely said yesterday he could not comment on anything related to the weekend.
The story was the same at nearby Clinton Vineyards - unrelated to the former president - which has in the past bottled special "Victory White" wines for the Clintons during their political campaigns.
The silence has hardly stopped the media. The gossip website TMZ reported that the couple's wedding playlist includes Abba's "Dancing Queen." Wedding planners not involved in the ceremony have quoted cost estimates as high as US$5 million. Two Norwegian journalists were arrested last week for trespassing at Astor Courts.
On Wednesday, locals shared the sidewalks with camera crews conducting interviews. People were generally supportive, whether it was merchants expecting a boost in business or residents caught up in the buzz.
A number of shops posted signs like "Congratulations Marc and Chelsea." One shop posted pictures of the Clintons, and a sign on a cosmetics store read: "Oprah! Please make my soap one of your favorite things." (Winfrey was reportedly invited.)
The official secrecy didn't appear to bother residents too much. A couple of people said they felt bad that Chelsea went through tumultuous times when her father was president, and said they didn't begrudge the family a little privacy now.
The reaction wasn't totally positive. Some worry about traffic jams; others wonder why the details are being kept secret so close to the wedding.
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