By Betsy Klein, CNN
(CNN) — Bettina Anderson officially became part of the country’s first family this weekend – her new name an American political brand.
“I feel honored to join your family and to fight by your side, Don, through whatever life brings us. And to become your wife is the greatest honor, and I will stand by your side through anything,” Anderson, now Trump, said in remarks at her bridal shower, according to a video posted by friend and designer Stacey Bendet.
But the bride, a prolific poster on social media, has not yet shared images of the ceremony, the reception, her dress, or even the food — the details from her and Donald Trump Jr.’s luxurious island celebration kept remarkably under wraps even days later.
The best clues have come from her and her new family’s Instagram stories, and even those are subtle. In one shared by the bride (now using the name @bettinatrump), she and her new husband show off their wedding bands, with the caption, “Forever yours” and “Forever mine.” Another captures a white silk embroidered “Mrs. Trump” in script, along with a cocktail napkin quoting Jane Austen: “My heart is and always will be yours.”
The wedding celebration took place at the luxe Little Pipe Cay, a hyper-exclusive 38-acre private island for the mega-wealthy that is part of the archipelago of the Bahamas. Little Pipe Cay boasts beaches, five “luxurious cottage estates” with 11 bedrooms, butler service, spa, and even a private chapel. Catering to elite clientele, the cay is accessible by “a short 30-minute seaplane or helicopter ride” from Nassau or a private flight to nearby Staniel Cay, its website says. Some of the guests stayed on another island nearby, given the private Little Pipe Cay estate only hosts 22 people, a person familiar with the details of the wedding weekend told CNN.
The management company, LUX Hospitality, does not publicly list nightly rates for accommodations, though luxury real estate broker Amanda Lynn Estates put it at “$75,000 to $95,000 per night, varying with the seasons.” The couple selected the location after previously visiting the small island in the Exuma Islands, the person familiar with the details of the weekend said.
“The island is an absolute gem and a rarity in the international luxury real estate market. It offers an unparalleled level of privacy and a wide range of unique recreational activities,” Colin Lightbourn, a partner at Engel & Völkers Bahamas, said in a 2023 interview about the property with Luxe Infinity.
It has been featured in films including the James Bond and “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchises, Lightbourn said. Selection of the venue underscores the massive wealth amassed by the Trump family, and it appears the bride and groom were not concerned with the optics of celebrating their marriage on the exclusive island.
The guest list of fewer than 50 people was pared down considerably from the hundreds who attended Anderson’s Mar-a-Lago bridal shower, and extra security precautions were put in place after the event’s location was leaked, sources familiar with the matter told CNN.
The groom’s siblings, Eric Trump and Ivanka Trump, along with half-sister Tiffany Trump, were in attendance, along with their spouses. Trump Jr.’s five children from his first marriage to Vanessa Trump, Kai, Donald III, Tristan, Spencer, and Chloe, ranging from 11 to 19 years old, were also in attendance. The bride recently followed a series of parenting-themed accounts on Inst