Attorney standard Pam Bondi’s Cayman excursion was not a wedding; most question the reason why
TALLAHASSEE — It appeared to be a marriage.
Sixty or 70 friends at a luxury Caribbean hotel, including the governor and a former Tampa gran. A beaming bride in a white dress with a flower in her own tresses. A photographer flown directly into bring photographs regarding the smiling couples with aqua water in it.
But attorneys standard Pam Bondi claims no service took place during the Ritz-Carlton great Cayman on Saturday. And lots of inquiries stay about whenever and why Bondi produced the last-minute choice never to become hitched.
Performed Bondi bow to old-fashioned experts whom noticed her jaunt across seas is politically tone-deaf? The 46-year-old now claims she will become wed in a small, exclusive ceremony at a Tampa-area Baptist church.
Did leakages on gossip sites and social networking sites cause the few to scared from the publicity? A photo of Bondi helping cocktails throughout the planes trip for the Cayman isles rapidly made the rounds on the internet.
Or perhaps is something considerably private and heartbreaking involved? Bondi along with her fiance, 62-year-old ophthalmologist Greg Henderson, spent the weekend interesting family and friends as they are however on holiday collectively. But which hasn’t ceased people from thinking whether among two have cool foot or if perhaps there seemed to be a prenuptial disagreement.
From vacation, the happy couple emailed the Times/Herald to express the speculation was inaccurate. Stated Henderson: “Our company is taking pleasure in a happy and gifted travel and so are in deep love with each other.”
Bondi might planning the girl event to Henderson for months. In November, she informed the Tampa Bay period that she is longing for a spring event. Political insiders in the course of time caught wind that a destination marriage had been planned for Memorial time weekend, but details were brief and also the guest list had been exclusive.
The first info discussed publicly originated in an unlikely supply: state Sen.
Paula Dockery, who coincidentally had been on the same industrial trip for the Cayman Islands on Thursday. She clicked a photo of Bondi offering cocktails with the wedding party and published it on her Facebook page.
“She seemed so happier and that I requested permission to capture an image and blog post on FB,” Dockery informed the Times/Herald in a-twitter trade. “My intent were to show the lady delight with others.”
South Fl writer Jose Lambiet caught wind of Dockery’s blog post and accompanied up with a call into the Ritz-Carlton. The guy stated a staffer affirmed the details.
“She mentioned the marriage was at 5 o’clock on Saturday and so they happened to be at rehearsal” in the period the guy known as saturday, Lambiet mentioned.
Facts altered the very next day. Resort workforce rejected Bondi or Henderson are guests whenever Lambiet labeled as once again so there is no more mention of a ceremony.
“Saturday I got to thinking, there is something cooking truth be told there,” the guy mentioned.
Bondi confirmed with the Tampa Bay occasions on Saturday that the wedding was actually postponed for a few weeks but wouldn’t state precisely why. She outlined the sunday as a “celebration of future nuptials.”
Actually many of the guests welcomed to join the happy couple in Cayman didn’t find out about the alteration in tactics as they embarked when it comes down to Caribbean. Previous Tampa Mayor cock Greco said they aren’t yes as he learned around wouldn’t become a wedding, probably on airplane journey here.
“Some realized, and a few don’t,” said Greco, exactly who moved along with his spouse, Linda McClintock. “But folks realized before Saturday.”
There is still partying as well as helpful words your groom and bride, but no conformity, Greco stated. “They had a prayer and several Bible scriptures and asserted that is really what they had chose to perform.”
Greco said the guy comprehends when the pair conformed that a service in a church near to house would-be most fitted.
“it doesn’t amaze myself understanding Greg provided I’ve understood your,” Greco stated. “He’s a person who life his faith.”
The unique encourage record integrated Gov. Rick Scott along with his spouse, Ann. Nothing from the some other closet customers or perhaps the lieutenant governor had been mentioned among visitors.
A number of the company and associates contacted by Times/Herald declined to review. Asked whether the guy think a marriage would occur, Scott replied vaguely on Wednesday: “we gone for Pam’s function.”
As Scott invested Saturday for the Cayman countries, tropic Storm Beryl endangered northeast Florida. Scott’s staff said he monitored the violent storm closely and gone back to Fl for planned occasions on Sunday and Monday.
“I stayed together with they the entire time,” the governor mentioned. “when we visited a level 1, I happened to be here.”
Bondi has actually confronted the absolute most critique over the sunday, not simply the secrecy close the lady event ideas nevertheless the info by themselves.
Greco, who’s got had their express associated with spotlight, bristled at some unfavorable responses complete strangers directed at the lawyer general. This lady preliminary choice receive hitched at a Caribbean hotel rather than a Florida chapel ended up being personal, not political, he stated.
Dockery, who’s however vacationing in Cayman, in addition stated she was actually shocked from the reaction and called it “absurdity.” She got rid of the image from the lady Twitter wall, however it has already been 
duplicated onto various sites.
“If I have known this could be anything aside from a very joyful and lighthearted minute for Pam, I truly would not bring provided despite their consent,” said Dockery, a Lakeland Republican.
But Lambiet feels Bondi created exactly what the guy views a pr catastrophe.
She ended up being naive to consider that Floridians wouldn’t feel interested in learning their marriage, the guy mentioned, and may being additional forthcoming as to what she in the pipeline.
Former Gov. Charlie Crist started using it inside his highly publicized 2008 marriage to Carole Rome, in accordance with Lambiet. Wondering residents gathered away from St. Petersburg chapel to brighten in the pair, and Crist made sure the mass media got the images they need, the writer stated.
“i do believe she were not successful miserably at a prospective PR coup,” Lambiet mentioned, making remember that Bondi’s title has-been floated as another gubernatorial prospect. “Just in case you simply can’t handle this, how could you manage a campaign?”
Besides the couple’s mail belated Wednesday nights, Bondi will not be viewed or read from. We know the woman is on vacation with Henderson yet not a lot else.
However, the one thing is clear: it isn’t a honeymoon.
