Golfing Obama crashes wedding at 18th hole
Showing up to a wedding without an invitation from the bride and groom is a no-no, except when the guest is the president of the United States.
As Stephanie and Brian Tobe prepared for their wedding Sunday, they never imagined President Obama would be crashing their ceremony at the Lodge at Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla.
The couple knew he was in town that day but didn’t know he would be playing a round of golf at the premiere course just moments before they would say their “I do’s.”
On top of that, the couple’s altar was in front of the 18th hole, where Obama was wrapping up his game. So, the couple decided to delay their ceremony as he played through. The happy couple watched Obama from the hotel balcony.
Obama stopped to greet bystanders, including the couple’s photographers, Erin and Jeff Youngren.
Moments later, the couple sprinted toward the president and took several photographs with him as their family cheered, Erin Youngren said.
“President Obama was kind and wonderful,” Youngren said on her website. “When he shook Brian and Stephanie’s hands, he apologized for delaying the ceremony and then shared some advice with Brian, who is also from Chicago.”
In any other wedding, the delay and unexpected events could have ruined the rest of the day. But Youngren said Obama’s visit brought joy to the event.
“Nothing about this presidential drop-in negatively impacted the day,” she said.
“In fact, the mood became so fun, laid back and celebratory, that it was one of the most joyful weddings we’ve ever been at — ever,” she said. “We easily made up the timeline with the cocktail hour, we were able to get better sunset photos, and in the end, things didn’t run late at all. It was a life moment that none of us will ever forget.”
Obama’s visit to California over the weekend was a whirlwind. After arriving in San Francisco on Friday night, he attended three Democratic fundraisers Saturday in the Los Angeles area, caused an “Obamajam” and then topped his trip with a round of golf at Torrey Pines.