Naomi Biden graces the cover of Vogue in beautiful bridal photoshoot

Naomi Biden opened up to Vogue magazine about planning the first White House wedding in almost 10 years after the administration said she and Peter Neal wanted a ‘private’ event.

The president’s granddaughter appears on the cover of the digital editon of Vogue in her wedding gown, relaxing on a sofa with first lady Jill Biden, who has her arms around her.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre defended the Vogue coverage, growing agitated as she was asked why there was an interview and photo shoot when she had said last week there would be no press coverage of the wedding as the couple wanted a ‘private’ event. 

‘This was not a national security meeting. This was not an economic meeting,’ she said at her Tuesday press briefing. ‘This was a young couples wedding with their friends and family. This is what this was, this is what happened here on Saturday. So and secondly, just to be very clear, Vogue did not attend the wedding. They were not there.’

Jean-Pierre was defensive as she answered DailyMail.com’s questions about the matter, saying Vogue intentionally held back on releasing their photos.

She pointed out the photo shoot was on Thursday – two days before the wedding – and that photos of the wedding were released publicly. 

‘Vogue did a portrait shoot on Thursday afternoon before the wedding in the green room. I would also remind you that many photos were released to the public on Saturday after the wedding to everyone. Vogue actually held their photos they embargoed it until today. So that so it will give ample time for for the photos to be in the public sphere,’ she said.

On Saturday, the White House released a photo of President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden with Naomi and Peter at the wedding, which took place on the South Lawn of the White House. Event planner Bryan Rafanelli, who directed the festivities, also released several photos.

Naomi Biden told Vogue they would have had a backyard wedding even if her grandfather was not president.

‘We’re so close to our families, so we always knew we’d get married in someone’s backyard,’ Naomi told Vogue. ‘I think if my pop weren’t president, it would probably be their house in Wilmington or Peter’s family’s backyard in Jackson [Wyoming].’ 

The piece features portraits of Noami in her Ralph Lauren-designed wedding gown, taken in the State Rooms at the White House. The dress was inspired by Grace Kelly’s wedding gown.

‘Like every little girl, I had a vision in my head—it was Grace Kelly’s dress I loved,’ Naomi said. 

There is also a photo of her and Peter at their wedding reception, where they are standing on a ladder to cut their eight-tier wedding cake. Naomi changed into a Reem Acra sheath dress for the evening.

First Lady Dr Jill Biden embraces granddaughter Naomi Biden on the cover of the digital edition of Vogue in a photo taken by Norman Jean Roy

Naomi Biden married fiance Peter Neal on Saturday in a small ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House – she was photographed by Vogue on Thursday at the White House in her Ralph Lauren wedding gown

Naomi Biden pictured in one of the State Rooms at the White House with the Washington Monument visible in the background 

Naomi Biden, 28, is the president’s oldest grandchild and the first of her generation of Bidens to wed. But when other president’s family members – including Tricia Nixon and Lynda Bird Johnson – had White House weddings those were open to the media, including photo and video coverage. 

The bride was walked down the aisle by her father Hunter Biden and mother Kathleen Buhle (the couple divorced in 2017) to the Verve’s ‘Bittersweet Symphony.’ 

Any wedding has its logistical challenges but the White House comes with added ones. Guests had to provide their Social Security number and date of birth for a Secret Service background check. All the guests were also COVID tested on Saturday morning.

‘It’s hard to ask people for their social security number with their RSVP,’ Naomi told Vogue.

She also told the magazine she was surprised that Peter as ‘a bit of a bridezilla’ and ‘obsessed with all the details.’

She said Jill Biden, who the grandchildren call ‘Nana,’ was also heavily involved.

Naomi and Peter moved into the White House when the lease ran out on their D.C. apartment. They and their mini Australian shepherd, Charlie, live on the third floor.

‘I try to remind myself it’s the White House, but it also gets normalized over time,’ Naomi said.

‘Now we do wedding planning together, and she’s been super involved,’ Naomi sai of the first lady. 

Wedding details were plotted over a glass of wine – Cabernet for Dr. Biden, Sancerre for Naomi – or when attending barre and SoulCycle classes together in Georgetown. 

‘Naomi has a strong sense of herself and had a vision for her wedding,’ Jill Biden said. ‘It was fun to see her finding so much joy in all the details.’ 

Naomi and Peter were surrounded by 250 family and friends on the South Lawn for their chilly, but sunny, wedding day.  Peter also wore Ralph Lauren, a three-piece suit.

The three bridesmaids – Naomi’s sisters Finnegan and Maisy and Peter’s sister Betsy – who wore navy blue dresses. Finnegan and Maisy had blazers on over their formal dresses. Peter’s brother Robert was best man.

The decor was all natural – green shrubs and white flowers, including roses and hydrangeas. 

Naomi’s father Hunter Biden sat in the first row, holding his son Beau and seated next to his wife Melissa Cohen. Kathleen Buhle, mother of the bride, sat on Hunter’s other side. 

Naomi’s cousins Natalie and Hunter Jr. – the children of late Beau Biden – were also in attendance. So was Ashley Biden, Joe and Jill’s daughter and aunt to the bride. 

After the 11 a.m. ceremony on the South Lawn on Saturday morning, the Bidens hosted a lunch for friends and family in the State Dining Room of the White House.

‘I do know she lost sleep over the fact that I was planning to serve turkey sandwiches at the lunch,’ Naomi said of her Nana. 

They added chicken pot pie to the menu, which is her dad Hunter’s favorite dish. 

The White House released a photo of Naomi Biden and Peter Neal with President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden on the day of the wedding

Naomi and Peter posted for photos on the South Portico after the wedding ceremony with her cathedral-length veil blowing in the breeze

Naomi and Peter walk down from the South Portico to the guests waiting below; her gown was similar to Grace Kelly’s. Right: Naomi and Peter Neal exchange vows in their wedding ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House

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Friends came back to the White House on Saturday evening for a black-tie reception of dessert and dancing.

Jill Biden wore a gold embroidered seafoam blue Reem Acra dress, the one she is seen wearing on Vogue’s digital cover.  

Naomi and Peter climbed a ladder to cut a seven-foot-tall, eight-tier lemon cake with buttercream frosting.

The dessert bar also included apple pie (the groom’s cake) to President Biden’s favorite Graeter’s chocolate chip ice cream. ‘He used to be a Breyers guy all the way but we’ve gotten him to upgrade to Graeters,’ Naomi said.

Naomi’s wedding was the 19th one known to be held at the White House and the first one the South Lawn. Naomi was the first presidential grandchild to be married at the White House. 

The last wedding to take place at the White House was on October 19, 2013, when Pesident Barack Obama’s photographer Pete Souza married Patti Lease in the Rose Garden. Obama attended.

The last family weddings were when on May 28, 1994 when Anthony Rodham – Hillary Clinton’s brother – married Nicole Boxer during Bill Clinton’s tenure. 

Naomi and Peter kiss at their wedding, which took place Saturday on the South Lawn of the White House

Naomi with her sister Finnegan, who served as her maid of honor

First daughter Tricia Nixon married Ed Cox in the Rose Garden on June 12, 1971 in one of the more famous White House weddings.  Her father, President Richard Nixon, walked her down the aisle. 

There also is a long history of presidential children getting married at the residence or holding a reception there. James Monroe, John Quincy Adams, John Tyler and Ulysses S. Grant all saw weddings during their tenures.

Modern first daughters Chelsea Clinton and Jenna Hager got married else where.

Chelsea’s father was not president at the time of her wedding. Jenna’s father was and George W. Bush hosted a reception for his daughter at the White House although her wedding was in their home state of Texas.