that we will all share together. the first rose garden wedding. the naval photographic center produced this film. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [applause] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ one of the most important days in tricia nixon's ways drawing to a close. the wedding was over by that new life as mrs. edward cox was just commencing. tricia one said that -- >> love is so parent, they say, you can't really define it. you can say, i love this about a

person, i love that, they are generally intelligent. but it's a little intangible. you just can't quantify. ♪ ♪ ♪ >> the events leading up to this day all started back on the night of march 16th. the father of the bride to be announced his daughter's engagement. the occasion was irish evening at the white house, a celebration in honor of the visit to washington the prime minister of ireland and mrs. nixon's birthday. ♪ ♪ ♪ >> i understand that i'm supposed to make a surprise announcement. [laughs] >> the difficulty is, the time i'm supposed to make a surprise

announcement, i find that it's leaked before i get to make it. there seems to be no exception. under the circumstances, of course, i was wondering whether making an announcement to this very distinguished group of our very close friends from all over the united states, making such an announcement would seem to be rather an anti climax for this wonderful evening. but i discussed it with the prime minister jack lynch and he's given his permission. he is one who has had such great success that i'm going to take his advice. he tells me that even though the information may have leaked out, that until i say it, it's not official. >> [laughs] >> and so tonight, mrs. nixon and i are honored to announce

the engagement of our daughter, tricia, to mr. edward cox of new york. >> [applause] [applause] >> we are just so happy that it has been made official and that we can share our happiness with everybody. i think an engagement is supposed to be a fun time, especially engagement parties. it's traditional, supposed to be a surprise. >> [applause] >> the announcement signals signals the start of showers and perceptions by friends and family. the first official event was a miscellaneous shower hosted by the vice presidents wife, mrs. agnew in their residents at the sheridan park hotel on june 1st. beside

mrs. nixon and tricia, special guests included julie eisenhower, mamie eisenhower, cox and ed's sister, marianne. among her many gifts, trisha received her china, a blue tree pattern by lennox. her silver, from greenfield massachusetts, an ornate baroque design, and her crystal, a waterford cut glass pattern. ♪ ♪ ♪ prior to mrs. agnew's, an informal chao was held on may 26th. trisha was the first white house daughter to have her shower given by a member of the white house press corps. helen thomas was the host out which mrs.

nixon and others were honored guests. other guests included members of mrs. nixon's staff and women reporters. one of tricia's gifts appeared to be a gift of sympathy for the couple's desire to be anonymous. she dawned this disguise. on june 4th, at washington's beautiful anderson house, mrs. william p. rogers hosted a reception. ambassador's acosta led the way through the receiving line. the ambassador himself was unable to be there. trisha graciously

accepted the ambassadors gifts. in his remarks, the president express this wish for her's daughters husband and his daughter. >> it is my wish for the bride and groom after the wedding ceremony to live their own lives. but second, the chance to know the world as i've had a chance to know it and i look forward at a time where this will truly be an open world where they will have the chance to go to your countries and to all the countries of the world and to know the people of those countries. because what a wonderful future it is for your children and our children to know each other. ♪ ♪ ♪ well tricia entertained at the white house dinner for the members of

her wedding party in the wives of the groomsmen, it was hosting a bachelor party at the f-street club. she chose as members of her wedding party her sister julie as matron of honor, and sister marianne as maid of honor and, as junior bridesmaids, her cousins, beth and amy nixon. ed chose his brother howard as best man and college friends as groomsmen. insulin david eisenhower was unable to be in the wedding since he was in service in the mediterranean. -- we're hosts at a luncheon for trisha and ed and out of town guests at washington's solace berry club. sounds very club.

>> the time slept quickly away. in the rose garden, which tricia had chosen as a setting for her marriage, the members of the wedding party rehearse their roles. ♪ ♪ ♪ >> one of the most important thing for people who volunteer to be married is the [inaudible] and even though the very different, they accept the differences in the person. i guess you might say that they should complement one another, interested in different things. and i don't think it necessarily people have to be a light to be able to have a happy marriage. >> he was my first love. we met

at the christmas dance. i will never forget that, because we were dancing together. the only way i will remember about was that i was dancing with someone so tall that i was being smothered! i would find it very challenging. i think one of the things that i always respected from him was his sincerity. he is just a completely sincere person. >> that evening, ed's father and mother were posts at the rehearsal dinner. before he -- included side members of the

wedding party, mainly eisenhower, wives of the four groomsmen, the presidents brothers and their wives, and a few other friends and relatives. members of the wedding party exchanged traditional gifts. millions of people throughout the world waited and anticipation as the white house prepared to celebrate the wedding. historians took note that trisha was the eighth daughter of a president to be married in the white house, that hers was the first june wedding held there, and the first marriage ceremony to be performed out of doors at the executive mansion.

♪ ♪ ♪ the father of the bride to be unexpectedly visited the press center, and expressed a point of view to reporters about the possibility of rain when he explained a soft rain caresses the marriage. and then, in a more light hearted vein, he said: >> a little rain will keep people cool, and then they will remember it more. >> in spite of threatening skies, trisha decided to go forward with her plans for the out of doors ceremony. the preparations shifted into high

gear. a light rain continued to fall, but the guests were as eager as trisha to have the ceremony in the rose garden. the 400 guests invited to the wedding included members of the cabinet, ambassador sylvia sacoolas to representing the diplomatic board, former white house brides, i'm and lynda johnston -- young friends of trisha and ed and relatives and friends of the family. ♪ ♪ ♪

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>> at 4:30 after a half hour delay, the rain stopped. and the loveliest of all white house weddings began. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

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♪ ♪ ♪ >> dear friends. we are gathered together to unite patricia and edward in marriage, which is an institution founded in nature, ordained by the state, sanctioned by the church, and made honorable by the faithful keeping of good men and good women in all ages. it is therefore not by any to be entered into unadvisedly, or lightly. but discreetly, advisedly, and with due reverence. this celebration is the outward expression of a sacred, and inward union of

hearts. a union created by love and purpose, and kept by abiding will. the union into which you are about to enter is most precious, because it will bring you together in a relationship so intimate, and so close that it will and have been doubly and profoundly influence your future. that future with extremes, and disappointments. pleasures, and sadnesses. successes, and failures. cannot be foreseen. of course, these elements are found in every life and therefore are to be anticipated in your own. and so, unaware of what definitely is before you, you accept one another to love

is to appreciate and cherish our beloved as a unique person, deep, extraordinary, exceptional. it is to visualize him or her as an equal, yet complementing individual. love each other, but do not make a bond of your love. stand together, but not too near together just as the pillars of a temple stand apart, yet stand together. thus, these thoughts are most awesome. it is a beautiful tribute to your love of each other that cognizant of their importance, you are here to say them as a vows each to the other. because these words

involve such implications, it is appropriate that you exemplify the principle of altruism. love gifts and forgives, accepts and adjusts, sacrifice is frequently offered grudgingly. love can make it generous, and often. love can make it a joy. ideally, married life ought to be a life of self sacrificing love. of great, and unreserved giving of self. it is in this spirit and for this purpose that you have come hither to be joined together. who giveth patricia to be married to edward? [inaudible]

clasp your right hands together. and edward, repeat after me -- i, edward, take the patricia, to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold, to honor and to comfort, in sickness and in health, in sorrow and in joy, to love and to cherish from this day forth. patricia, you repeat after me, looking at edward. i, patricia, take the,

edward, to be my wedded husband. to have and to hold, to honor and to comfort, in sickness and in health, in sorrow and in joy, to love and to cherish from this day forth. may i have the ring? the wedding ring is the outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace, signifying to all the uniting of patricia and edward in a holy matrimony. let us pray. bless, oh lord, this ring, that he who gives it and she who wears it, may know thy

peace and continue in thy favor all the days of their lives, amen. edward, place this ring on the third finger of patricia's left hand and repeat after me. in symbol and pledge of our constant faith and love, with this ring i thee web. you let us pray you. our father, who art in heaven, hallow would be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. give us this day our daily bread. and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive

those who trespass against us. and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. amen. clasp your right hands together. for as much as they have witnessed the same before god and his company, and thereto have pledged their faith to the other, and declared the same by joining hounds, i pronounce that they are husband and wife together. let us pray. eternal god,

creator and preserver of all mankind, giver of all spiritual grace, send thy blessing upon patricia and edward, that they may surely perform and keep the covenant made between them. may their hearts be one in pure love and fidelity. may they be a blessing and a comfort to each other. and to everyone else they touch, may they be sharers of each other's joy, consolers of each other's sorrow. helpers to each other in all. and may they ever remain in perfect harmony together, living according to the golden rule. look benevolently upon them that

they may love, honor, and cherish one another. that they may cherish one thank and given faithfulness and patience, and wisdom and true kindness, that their home may be a haven of happiness. and a place of serenity. this moment is the beginning of a new day. in the evening of their lives together, may they be able to look back and say how splendid the day has been, i'm in amen. will you kneel. may the lord bless you and keep you. may the lord make it his faith to shine

upon you and be gracious unto you. and give his light of cantinence upon you. and give you peace and may all that is noble, lovely and true abide with you forever, amen. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪♪

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♪ ♪♪ ♪ ♪♪ >> not only were patricia and ed, the wedding ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ not only for trisha and ed but for posterity, the wedding party assembled in the blue room for the official portrait. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ the

procession of well-wishers began with mamie eisenhower, the vice president and mrs. agnew and chief justice and mrs. burger. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

[applause] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ he's really a splendid dancer. the most fun is to dance a wall

setting. because he does it so beautifully. [inaudible] it's very you know someone today who knows how to do the walls. waltz. >> [applause] ♪ ♪ ♪ >> i've been trying to figure out all my life how to dance. >> [laughs] >> i'm going to limit my exposure. [applause] ♪ ♪ ♪

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>> the six teared wedding cake, an exquisite creation nearly seven feet high awaited the bridal couple in the hall, confirming the success of white house pastry chef's recipe, they expressed delight with the cake. referring to her abilities and the kitchen, trisha has said: >> i am not a good cook, but i try. >> a final but brief ceremony remained to be performed. on the arm of her husband, she

tossed her wedding bouquet as thousands of brides have done before. marianne, ed's sister, caught the bouquet. ♪ ♪ ♪ with a new and very different life ahead of them, trisha and ed left the white house for their honeymoon at a secret location. >> do you think i will miss most as my parents. because, we are very close, and i look forward talking to them, visit with them, be with them, i

think that is what i will miss most. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [applause] ♪ ♪ ♪

this session first ladies impact and influence will explore the many ways in which first ladies? this session, first ladies impact and influence will explore the many ways in which first ladies have shaped history as the closest adviser to the president, as advocates for both change, continuity, as well as how they influence american