3 Things I Want to Say About The Clinton Wedding
1 Aug 2010
While I was on vacation, Chelsea Clinton got married in my hometown. I watched from afar and observed my beautiful village getting swept up in the media frenzy. My generally calm, cool and collected friends were awash with celeb-fever. Maybe I would have been too if I wasn’t so removed (thankfully) from all the action.
Here are 3 things I want to say about the wedding:
1. They got married in a remarkable estate that I have had the privilege to visit. I was invited for a meeting at Astor Courts this past spring and took these photos. I was awestruck by its majestic beauty. Many homes along the Hudson River are steeped in rich history and well preserved. Most have been updated in period styles laden with heavy decorative detailing. The current owner has taken the genteel roots of this home and paid homage to both its architecture and spectacular surroundings. Without being bland or overly muted, the space is saturated in neutrals. There is a dynamic juxtaposition of contrasting textures, fabrics, and shapes that is anything but stagnant. It’s a perfect backdrop for a wedding.
This New York Times article describes how the estate, designed by architect Stanford White, was brought back to life.
2. For whatever reason (and there is much speculation about Chelsea’s gluten-free, meet-free diet), the menu was vegan and the wedding claimed to be green. Wedding menus can run the gamut from roast beef to raw, but a vegan menu encompasses a lifestyle choice that obviously works for Chelsea and her new husband. Some may have found it limiting, but the couple’s decision was respected. You’ve gotta love that.
3. I wish them all the best, and thank them for choosing my little town on the Hudson while I am far, far away from the hoopla (and paparazzi), enjoying the gifts of my own family, the sun and the sea.







Jeanne Fleming
Aug 02, 2010 @ 09:44:36
Lovely piece–very well said on all counts–about the quiet beauty of the house, personal choices, and the support of family and friends! Keep enjoying your time away…it seems to suit you !
Cynthia Clark
Aug 02, 2010 @ 11:22:36
Nicely said, Ronnie! Lovely pictures.
And we coulda had a birdhouse auction there …. my, my. I enjoyed the excitement from afar – it was facebook at its most useful.
JoeT.
Aug 09, 2010 @ 12:25:55
I suppose any small town should be grateful for the attention, especially in this economy.
Janet
Sep 08, 2010 @ 09:28:10
To be fair, the Dutchess County fair a month later was far more of an interruption to the lives of people in Rhinebeck, NY. Except for Bill’s walk-about and dining at one of our least remarkable restaurants, and the camera crews that were set up to capture….nothing, the wedding-of-the-year was private, unobtrusive and I’m sure, a disappointment to celebrity watchers. Good for the Clintons.