Presidential love stories, from the Jacksons to the Obamas
Gerald and Betty Ford
How They Met: Betty and Gerald Ford met in 1947 at a cocktail party. From there, their stories diverge: Betty claims that Gerald proposed that fall, while Gerald maintained that he popped the question in February 1948. Their engagement was officially announced in July 1948, when Gerald was in the midst of campaigning for a seat in the House. The Wedding: Oct. 15, 1948, Grace Episcopal Church in Grand Rapids, Mich. Gerald was late and showed up in muddy shoes because he had just been giving a campaign speech. The Honeymoon: The pair had no time for a real honeymoon in the midst of an election cycle. They spent Oct. 16 attending a political rally, a football game and a Thomas Dewey speech.
