Bill and Hillary Clinton's daughter marries in NY

By Jessica Rinaldi

RHINEBECK, New York (Reuters) - Bill and Hillary Clinton's daughter married her long-time boyfriend in the picturesque New York village of Rhinebeck on Saturday in what has been dubbed America's royal wedding.

Chelsea Clinton -- the only child of the former U.S. president and the U.S. secretary of state -- wed Marc Mezvinsky at Astor Courts, an historic 50-acre (20-hectare) estate on the Hudson River, about 100 miles (160 km) north of New York City.

"Today, we watched with great pride and overwhelming emotion as Chelsea and Marc wed in a beautiful ceremony at Astor Courts, surrounded by family and their close friends," Bill and Hillary Clinton said in a statement.

"We could not have asked for a more perfect day to celebrate the beginning of their life together, and we are so happy to welcome Marc into our family," the statement said.

"On behalf of the newlyweds, we want to give special thanks to the people of Rhinebeck for welcoming us and to everyone for their well-wishes on this special day."

The statement, sent just after 7:30 p.m. (1:30 a.m. British time Sunday), did not indicate exactly when the nuptials took place.

Photos emailed to Reuters by Clinton aides showed the bride and groom walking down a broad outdoor aisle between rows of guests. Chelsea wore a strapless white gown with a fitted bodice and full skirt with platinum-collared beading at the waist and a long white veil.

The groom wore a simple black tuxedo going down the aisle and in a photo with the Clinton family, and a white prayer shawl and yarmulke in separate photos with Chelsea under a flowering tree and amid wedding guests.