During a recent episode of Today with Jenna & Friends, which aired on March 27, Jenna Bush Hager shared a memorable moment from her past—the story of her first kiss with husband Henry Chase Hager. As the daughter of former President George W. Bush and former First Lady Laura Bush, Jenna also enjoys a prominent place in American cultural history.
Jenna and Henry entered into marriage on May 10, 2008, at President Bush’s sprawling 1,600-acre Prairie Chapel Ranch located in Crawford, Texas. This wedding marked a significant moment as Jenna became the first daughter of a sitting U.S. president to marry in 16 years, after their engagement announcement in August 2007.
While recounting the story of their initial kiss on Today, Jenna revealed that the romantic moment transpired while they were dancing to a Lil’ Troy song. Although they kept the song’s title a secret, Jenna playfully mentioned that Henry confidently “shot his shot”in that atmosphere of dancing and anticipation.
“I mean, well, I don’t think you can say that on the 10 a.m. hour of television, but, I went in for the kiss,”Henry quipped.
As the conversation unfolded, Jenna hinted at some playful ambiguity regarding the specifics of their first kiss. When Henry suggested that the moment was not as she remembered, Jenna humorously remarked:
“I guess it just depends how we remember it. You didn’t do the walk of shame out of the White House?”
A flustered Henry responded with a charming “honey,”adding to the couple’s lighthearted interaction.
Jenna’s Memorable Proposal Story on Cadillac Mountain
In a separate segment from an episode of Today with Hoda and Jenna on October 3, 2024, Jenna revisited the romantic story of Henry’s proposal. This time, the couple embarked on a hike up Cadillac Mountain, situated in the stunning Acadia National Park in Maine. To Jenna’s surprise, it was at the mountain’s peak that Henry popped the question.
“We hiked Cadillac Mountain, which is in Acadia in Maine, national park, which is so pretty. And he proposed to me at the top. Now listen, I wasn’t predicting it,” she narrated.
Jenna humorously acknowledged that she had been feeling “very cranky”prior to the proposal, expressing her reluctance to pause for a snack break to enjoy the sunrise. Oblivious to Henry’s intentions, she recounts:
“Grumpy, a little grumpy. And he said, ‘Let’s stop for a Luna bar, the sun is about to come up, let’s watch it together.’ And I said, ‘No, I’m too cold to stop.’ I said, ‘Let’s please keep going.’ He said, ‘Can we please stop for a Luna bar?’ I said, ‘No we can’t!’ And then finally he said, ‘We’re stopping for a Luna bar’ and I was like, ‘Ugh.’ And then he proposed.”
Once the proposal took place, Jenna’s frustration quickly vanished, and the moment transformed into an unforgettable memory. She also humorously shared about the presence of a secret service agent who was discreetly close by during the proposal, adding a layer of irony to the privacy they sought.
“Well, it was private except there was a secret service man a couple paces behind me. So it was ‘private,'” she joked.
Jenna added humorously that this experience was a key reason why she might need “lots of therapy.”
Jenna and Henry’s Relationship Highlights
In addition to their charming anecdotes, exchanges between Jenna Bush Hager and co-hosts such as Hoda Kotb continue to provide fans with glimpses of their candid relationship. These insights offer warmth and relatability, making the couple’s romantic journey resonate even more with viewers.
Amid their jovial interactions, Jenna and Henry’s love story remains engaging, blending sentiment and humor that captures the audience’s attention.
Read more about Jenna and Henry’s relationship dynamics and their memorable moments on recent episodes of Today.