Laura Bush in Mexico (AFP)

Mexico City, April 24 (Reuters): Mexico?s rich and famous celebrated the high society marriage of a charismatic US ambassador to a beer baroness with a fortune worth $1.5 billion yesterday in a lavish but very private party.

Bride Maria Asuncion Aramburuzabala and groom US ambassador Tony Garza invited 400 friends to a lakeside resort town for a wedding, billed as Mexico?s society event of the year.

Guests invited to the glamourous couple?s party near Mexico City included US First Lady Laura Bush, Texas governor Rick Perry and Mexican telecommunications magnate Carlos Slim, an embassy source said. ?It?s a list of their closest friends,? he said.

Garza, 45, a lawyer and judge who is the grandson of Mexican immigrants to the US, is an old family friend of the Bushes. A Republican, he served as Texas secretary of state when President George W. Bush was governor, and was the first Hispanic to win statewide elected office.p

The White House on Friday confirmed Laura Bush would be travelling from the family?s Crawford, Texas ranch to attend the wedding.

Garza was considered one of the most eligible bachelors in Mexico until he announced he was marrying Aramburuzabala, who controls the country?s top beer company, Modelo, brewer of the Corona lager.