First lady says storm threatened wedding plans

updated 5:59 p.m. ET May 12, 2008

WASHINGTON - Storms that spawned violent tornadoes over the weekend slammed into President Bush's Texas ranch and threatened to disrupt wedding plans for Jenna Bush and Henry Hager, first lady Laura Bush said Monday.

"We did have a little — one setback on Friday night. While we were off in another town at the rehearsal dinner there was a tornado. ... All the catering ovens were turned over and the sides were ripped off the tent," she told a luncheon at the White House.

"But everyone worked wildly and you couldn't even tell the next night. It was just perfect, everything was great."

The first family and the White House staff have been extremely tightlipped about discussing the private outdoor wedding ceremony on Saturday that drew about 200 guests.

But Mrs. Bush did not appear to have any reluctance to talk about it at the lunch for Senate spouses.

"We are tired. But it was really terrific," she said. "It was just perfect. It was exactly the way Jenna wanted it. She was absolutely beautiful. If you've seen any of the pictures, you can tell how pretty she was. And the ranch was absolutely beautiful. We had wildflowers blooming. They weren't quite at the peak, but there were lots of flowers blooming everywhere, and it was so green and pretty."

Friday night's rehearsal dinner was held in Salado, Texas, 54 miles from the ranch.

Video   President Bush, father of the bride May 12: Brian Williams reports on the wedding. Nightly Netcast

"I know you all have heard that the president had this beautiful limestone cross built on this peninsula in our lake, and that's where they got married, in front of this limestone cross that is the same limestone that our house is built from. So that was very perfect. And just as they said their vows, the sun dropped and the moon came up. So it was really, really lovely, and the way we wanted it to be," Mrs. Bush said.

"It was a great weekend of family and friends," she continued. "It was all of George's brothers and sister and their family, Barbara and Jenna's cousins that they're both very close to, and my mother — and then, mainly, friends of the couple, which made it really fun. So there was a lot of wild dancing until 3:00 a.m."

To laughter, she added: "But I can assure you none of us, of the older people, made it that long."

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