The Presidency: An Unusual Ceremony

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Then came the nuptial blessing: May this yoke that she is taking on herself be one of love and peace. May she be faithful and chaste, marrying in Christ, and may she always imitate the holy women. May she be beloved of her husband, as was Rachel; wise, as was Rebecca; long-lived and loyal, as was Sara. Faithful to one embrace, may she flee from unlawful companionship. May she be grave in her modesty, honorable in her chastity, learned in the teachings of heaven.

Quite a task—but Luci Johnson Nugent looked up to it, as she emerged, smiling and sparkling, to drive to the White House in a bubble-top car with her new husband.

Dance with Daddy. The President's daughter can afford to ignore a certain amount of tradition. Because of his position, Lyndon Johnson was placed at the head of the receiving line, and Luci had her first dance with him instead of with her bridegroom. Luci also set a new pattern for brides when she and Pat went out on the south lawn and, stooping down in her wedding regalia, she patted the collie and two beagles. The first people through the reception line were Speaker and Mrs. John McCormack, two of Washington's social hermits, and Luci showed that she was her daddy's daughter by lavishing effusive attention on the aging couple.

Pat Nugent, a novice at the game of politics, handled the names like a well-briefed pro and made lively small talk to the guests. With obvious relish, the President bestowed kisses on a number of ladies. And, of course, almost everyone wanted to kiss the bride. Republican Senator Everett Dirksen, on crutches, received the most benign of greetings from the President as he came through the line, got his second kiss of the day from Luci. Cooed Luci: "Oh, I could do that all afternoon." Alice Longworth, Teddy Roosevelt's daughter, whose own dazzling wedding set a White House mark in 1906, was asked to stop and pose between Pat and Luci, the only one so honored.

The warmest greeting of all was given to Zephyr Wright, the Johnson family cook for 23 years. "Oh, Zassie," said Luci, "you look so pretty. I love your dress." Much was made of Zassie's fried chicken and spoon bread, without which, apparently, the Johnsons would never have endured. Zassie, at any rate, got busses from both bride and groom. When much-divorced Supreme Court Justice William Douglas came through the line, pulling along his newest young bride for introductions, the reaction was quite different. Luci's effusive manner cooled noticeably, and she offered only a perfunctory handshake.

When Luci finally got around to trying to cut the 13-tier wedding cake, it balked. The President of the U.S. brought his considerable pressure to bear, but the cake still would not cut. Luci cried, "I quit," but Pat suggested trying the fifth layer. The knife finally cut through, and Pat submitted to the bridegroom's traditional cake-eating indignity. Before the couple made their farewells and departed on an unknown honeymoon about 6:45 p.m., Luci made a last speech from the south balcony, then tossed her bouquet. It wound up, with a little sisterly collusion, in the possession of Lynda Bird, whose escort at the wedding was Actor George Hamilton. "Thank you all," said Luci, "for this beautiful, wonderful day, the most magnificent day of our lives."