It will be in Rhinebeck, a picturesque New York village, 400 people will attend it, the bride’s father is busy getting into shape, her mother has taken time off from running the world, the whole shebang will cost up to $5 million and Barack Obama may drop in. Oh, and before we forget, this is a
top secret wedding though the world seems to have got its hot little hands on every detail barring what the formidable mother, Hillary Clinton, she who seems to have been born to pantsuits, will wear. All we can ask is why all this cloak and dagger nonsense for what is being billed as America’s version of a royal wedding? The very culture of America is anti-secrecy and so we wonder why old Bill and Hill are trying so hard to keep things under wraps despite the fact that we know more than their fair share of secrets.
We are so glad that we hardly ever have to contend with this secrecy business when it comes to our great Indian weddings. Our nuptial assault begins with a card the size of a small apartment out of which will fall several invitations for a host of programmes spread over a week. If you are lucky you will also get a nifty gift along with the invite. The setting for the wedding will be an imperial monument of at least a medieval European city, tickets included. All details, howsoever slight, are communicated to slavering mediapersons in the run-up to the event.
Which is why we resent the Clintons trying to stop us from getting all the juicy bits like whether dad’s old flames will get an invite or whether Hillary will share some space with the uber elegant Michelle. The Bill we knew and loved was a great one for letting it all hang out. Which is why this wedding doesn’t quite fit the bill.