Obama, Michelle wed 19 years today

WASHINGTON–President Obama and First Lady Michelle marked their 19th anniversary early on Saturday with a dinner out at a suburban Alexandria restaurant. Today is the actual anniversary.

They were wed on Oct. 3, 1992 by the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. at Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago. Their reception was held at the South Shore Cultural Center.

In 2010, the Obama’s did not mark their anniversary with any public outing.

Here is a recap of a round-up I did on how the Obama’s marked other anniversaries….

2009: The Obamas motorcaded from the White House a few miles to Washington’s West End neighborhood for a meal at the Blue Duck Tavern, housed in the Park Hyatt Washington. The restaurant staff only had a few hours’ notice that the First Couple was headed their way. …The First Couple had an intimate dinner by themselves in a private area of the restaurant where they did not mix with the public.

2008: Obama spent the beginning of his 16th anniversary on the campaign trail in Abington, Pa., stopping at a flower shop after a rally. My Chicago Sun-Times colleague Abdon M. Pallasch reported that Obama spent $45 for a bouquet of flowers. The campaign made a photo op of it, with the photogs ready at the counter when Obama was in the store. Obama walked out with white roses and baby’s breath, worried the bouquet would wilt on the two-hour flight to Chicago.

After a haircut and a workout, the Obamas dressed up and headed to one of Chicago’s best known upscale eateries, Spiaggia, the Italian restaurant on Michigan Avenue.

2007: Obama started his 15th wedding anniversary stumping in Iowa for his Democratic primary presidential campaign and jetted home for an anniversary date night with his wife.

2006: The Obamas marked their 14th anniversary during a time when Obama was mulling a presidential run. He was on a book tour for “The Audacity of Hope,” in which he revealed that his political career had put a strain on their marriage. The couple married at Trinity United Church of Christ in a ceremony presided over by the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, whose videotaped controversial sermons would end up threatening Obama’s presidential campaign.

In “Audacity of Hope,” Obama wrote about how the Obamas adjusted to each other in the beginning.

“Michelle liked to wake up early and could barely keep her eyes open after ten o’clock. I was a night owl and could be a bit grumpy (mean, Michelle would say) within the first half hour or so of getting out of bed,” Obama wrote.