Wedding Day at Independence

"I feel that marriage vows are sacred," memoired Margaret Truman recently, "and I hope that mine will be spared the hurly-burly attending a news event." Last week in Trinity Episcopal Church at Independence, Mo., where her parents were married 36 years ago, Margaret, now 32, saw her hope accomplished; she became Mrs. Elbert Clifton Daniel Jr. with more dignity and less hurly-burly than a former President's daughter and TV-radio star could expect.

A month after her engagement announcement, Margaret left Manhattan for Independence stubbornly determined on dignity. She disappeared into the family's 14-room, white Victorian house at 219 North Delaware Street for a week's seclusion, emerged only to greet New York Timesman Daniel when he flew in, later to meet his parents arriving from ZebuIon, N.C., then to attend a rehearsal and post-rehearsal dinner for the bridal party. On the wedding eve she relented slightly, agreed to join Daniel in a 20-minute press conference for 50 encamped reporters. (Sample exchange: News hen: "I would like to ask what may be an embarrassing question . . ." Daniel: "Don't ask it.")

The wedding day burst fair and warm; Margaret Truman walked out of the 91-year-old house a last time on the arm of her ever-punctual, this time solemn father. A crowd had circled the Truman gate to admire her gown of antique Venetian lace, pale beige in color because "white doesn't become me." Margaret paused to smile at them, then ducked into a limousine for the five-minute, six-block journey to Trinity Church. "She looks beautiful, Mr. Truman," called a voice from the crowd. "Thank you, thank you very much," said the farther of the bride. "I think so too."

The tiny, freshly painted church was half full; some 60-odd were there, including ten reporters chosen to represent the corps. The guests were relatives and friends. Among them were a handful whose names were familiar: ex-Treasury Secretary John Snyder, New York Real Estate Magnate William Zeckendorf, John Frederics (whose lace-crowned bridal veil Margaret wore), Italian Couturiere Micol Fontana (who was commissioned to create the wedding gown because it was a Fontana dress Margaret was wearing one evening last November when she first met Daniel). The Rev. Patric Hutton, 30-year-old rector of the church, read the marriage ceremony, watched as Daniel slipped a plain gold band on his bride's finger.

After the wedding a select but friendly 250 gathered at the Truman home for a reception. After 30 minutes in the receiving line, bride and groom slipped away to catch a train for the first leg of their honeymoon in Nassau. Margaret Truman had not been the only important bride of the week, but when it was all said and done, hers was the wedding that gave the U.S. that next-door feeling even if the nation stood on tiptoe to catch every detail of the other one.

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