Chelsea Clinton's beguiling 'Cinderella' wedding
Long gone are the drab '70s when weddings were often political statements without fairy tale glamour, says Joan Vennochi in The Boston Globe

Oh, how times have changed. Since the "fashion-challenged" 1970s, when Bill and Hillary Clinton unceremoniously recited their vows "in the living room of their house," weddings have evolved from aggressively informal "political statements" into dazzling affairs with "Cinderella loveliness," says Joan Vennochi in The Boston Globe. And nowhere was this decadence more on display than in Rhinebeck, NY, this past weekend, where Chelsea Clinton and her husband-to-be, Marc Mezvinsky, donned designer duds for their "storybook" nuptials. Despite the posh trappings, writes Vennochi, Chelsea "must know that looking like a princess does not guarantee a fairy tale ending." For those who came of age in the "primeval" '70s, however, it still seems "a lovely way to start things off." Here, an excerpt:
[Chelsea's wedding] was stately and very 21st century. And so unlike Oct. 11, 1975, when Bill and Hillary married in the living room of their house in Fayetteville, Ark. A photo in Clinton's book, Living History, shows a mutually joyous and frizzy-haired couple. "I wore a lace-and-muslin Victorian dress I had found shopping with my mother the night before," Hillary writes. Bill wore a polka-dot tie that does not appear to be the work of any special designer....
Weddings were simpler affairs back then. In the spirit of the times, many young couples used them to make political statements, to their parents' dismay. As the turbulent '60s mellowed out into the '70s, trappings of authority and custom were scrapped whenever possible. Some ceremonies took place outside, in parks and on beaches. The bride wore no lipstick and the bridal party wore bare feet. Even with more traditional ceremonies, a stylist didn't visit your home to do your hair and make-up.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Read the full article at The Boston Globe.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Toast to great drinks and gorgeous views at these 7 rooftop bars
The Week Recommends Elevate your typical night out
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
Sudoku medium: February 24, 2025
The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
Crossword: February 24, 2025
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published
-
'Seriously, not literally': how should the world take Donald Trump?
Today's big question White House rhetoric and reality look likely to become increasingly blurred
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Will Trump's 'madman' strategy pay off?
Today's Big Question Incoming US president likes to seem unpredictable but, this time round, world leaders could be wise to his playbook
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
US election: who the billionaires are backing
The Explainer More have endorsed Kamala Harris than Donald Trump, but among the 'ultra-rich' the split is more even
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
US election: where things stand with one week to go
The Explainer Harris' lead in the polls has been narrowing in Trump's favour, but her campaign remains 'cautiously optimistic'
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Is Trump okay?
Today's Big Question Former president's mental fitness and alleged cognitive decline firmly back in the spotlight after 'bizarre' town hall event
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
The life and times of Kamala Harris
The Explainer The vice-president is narrowly leading the race to become the next US president. How did she get to where she is now?
By The Week UK Published
-
Will 'weirdly civil' VP debate move dial in US election?
Today's Big Question 'Diametrically opposed' candidates showed 'a lot of commonality' on some issues, but offered competing visions for America's future and democracy
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
1 of 6 'Trump Train' drivers liable in Biden bus blockade
Speed Read Only one of the accused was found liable in the case concerning the deliberate slowing of a 2020 Biden campaign bus
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published