Army captains Natalie Heimel and her fiancé, Edward Mallue Jr., were carrying out final preparations for their wedding at the Kaneohe Klipper Golf Course in Hawaii when they were informed that they would have to move their wedding, a mere 24 hours before the scheduled event.
Evidently, President Barack Obama wanted to play golf that day.
The couple had invited the President to their ceremony, knowing that the president spends his Christmas holiday on the islands. Obama responded via letter saying that he could not attend but nonetheless wished them happiness on their wedding day.
“It was kind of ironic they got the letter from them and then, within hours, they were told they had to be moved due to him,” Jamie McCarthy, Mallue’s sister, said. “It was emotional, especially for her—she’s the bride and in less than 24 hours they had to change everything they had planned.”
However, Naile Brennan, manager of K Bay Catering, said that it was a risk well understood by the couple. Brennan said they had other sites ready to go, and the couple ended up choosing the lawn near the home of Colonel Eric Schaefer, the commanding officer of the base.
“It’s much prettier and much nicer venue unless you’re an avid golfer,” Brennan said. “It’s more secluded and there are no golfers yelling, ‘Fore!’”
An administration spokesman referred questions about the day to the military base, and it’s not clear the White House would have been informed about the wedding in advance. Obama put in a personal call to the bride.
“He apologized and congratulated them,” McCarthy said. “We were all there, it was perfect.”
