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Who would have thought that getting married would call for a PR campaign to counter the vitriol and cynicism usually unleashed in an American presidential election battle?
Well, if your parents are Hillary and Bill Clinton, facts demonstrate that probably investing in a really good PR person would have cut the bride-to-be some slack. OK, let’s re-wind back to the nineties, when Bill Clinton was president: his wife and daughter were not speared any nasty comment from the media. Every unflattering photo was used.Why did those remarks need to be released is beyond my understanding: it was raining on an already wet floor.
Fast forward to today and we are all witnessing a watershed in the history of wedding planning in its public handling. Everything in this case is played out in the public eye, or so we are lead to believe by each and every news-source. Social media are abuzz and quite frankly, I feel a little overwhelmed in trying to keep up with all the contradicting information coming through, after initially taking a professional interest in this wedding: the guest list, the wedding bill, the dress, Obama not invited… uh-ah! ‘The cake, do you know how much the cake costs?’ ‘£7,000!?’ – It does not take a genius to work out that 300+ guests will need a huge amount of cake and the per head cost is £23. And we know of celebrities who have gone well over that and many other things for their big day.
But what really I find significant, is the commentary that accompanies what should be this weekend’s joyful event, in which two young people are about to form a family and start their new future together. It is not just a descriptive commentary from a distance: it is abrasive and almost politically masterminded in its shocking brutality.
Clearly, both the bride and groom have not done enough in their lives yet to deserve the media attention they are having at this point in time and find themselves unnecessarily surrounded in such ferociously burning limelight. Their parents are the ones who did all sorts of things. But let’s not forget, it is not the parents getting married on Sunday. It is the children and it is a wedding after all!
Ok, we all get the fact that Americans do not have royalties and substitute this vacuum with the American presidential dynasties of the likes of the Kennedys or the Bushes. They all live in a world of their own and they have far reaching influences. Still, they are human and perhaps we could just avoid certain lapses in style and etiquette from our part, leaving them to do as they please for one day. They will do that anyway on Sunday and yes, they will not always be as perfect as they would like us to believe the rest of the time.
Perhaps Chelsea is the victim of mismanaged PR well before the announcement of her engagement to Marc Mezvinsky came through. Perhaps, Malia Ann and Natasha Obama will not be reserved the same treatment. One thing is certain: in America private life is not private at all, from the White House onwards.
I wish Miss Clinton what I would wish any bride in the world: a lovely day on Sunday, her bride-groom to be everything she wishes for in life thereafter and a happy and long-lasting marriage… safe in the knowledge the bride will look stunning!
