TV anchor Janet Langhart weds Maine Sen. William Cohen in D.C

Jet, March 4, 1996

A pause under mistletoe at a White House Christmas party five years ago resulted in a wedding in the elegant Mansfield Room in the U.S. Capitol on Valentine's Day'

More than 100 guests - including a galaxy of senators, lobbyists and news media stars - gathered in the historic Mansfield room for the ceremony matching Maine Republican Senator William Cohen, 56, and Black Entertainment Television (BET) anchorwoman Janet Langhart.

Opening his remarks, the House Chaplain, Rev. James Ford, remarked how he first noted the couple at the earlier Christmas party and joked "I obviously saw that they belonged together, and I pronounced them husband and wife."

The couple stood in front of a marble fireplace with a spray of white magnolias and a portrait of President George Washington. She wore "a patterned cream silk tunic over a light cream skirt by Norma Kamali."

Occasionally wiping her eyes with a handkerchief, the bride listened intensely to the sermon. She was described as "visibly pleased" after the ceremony. When declared as husband and wife, she embraced her husband and let out a groan of relief, eliciting laughter from the audience, wrote one scribe.

The walnut-paneled, crystal-chandeliered room used for GOP luncheons was hastily transformed into a festive hall, according to Juliet Ellperin, society writer for the Roll Call newspaper, adding, "A string and wind trio played classical music as a collection of Washington power brokers entered the room."

A host of senators turned out for the nuptials of Sen. Cohen, who announced only a few months ago that he would not seek re-election this year. At the Maine press conference, the Republican also identified Ms. Langhart as his fiancee which came as no surprise in the nation's capital because of their long relationship.

Senatorial guests at the wedding included Alfonse D'Amato (R-NY), John Glenn (D-OH), Trent Lott (R-MS), Don Nickles (R-OK), Sam Nunn (D-GA), Strom Thurmond (R-SC) and former Sen. Warren Rudman of New Hampshire.

Also attending was Defense Secretary William Perry and Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan along with news media stars, including CBS anchor Dan Rather and NBC correspondent Andrea Mitchell. Two of the few Black guests were BET-TV broadcast mogul Robert Johnson and his wife. Following the ceremony, the guests traveled to the Hay-Adams Hotel for the lavish reception.

Conversing with the press, the bride said that she would keep the Langhart name on the air, adding, "but when I'm at Bloomingdale's, I'm Cohen."