John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette’s Secret Wedding Revealed

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a surprise revelation, previously unseen photographs of the 1996 wedding between John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy have emerged as part of a new CNN Original Series set to air on August 9, 2025. Just a few months before the release, exclusive snapshots taken by Carole Radziwill offer a glimpse into the private ceremony that only a select few attended.

The couple, known for their public personas, chose to celebrate their nuptials in secret at a one-room church on Cumberland Island, Georgia. The intimate affair included their closest friends and family, reflecting their desire for privacy amidst their high-profile lives. “It was almost like they eloped with 30 of their closest friends,” Radziwill recalls. “It was beautiful how relaxed and spontaneous it felt.”

Photos captured the couple joyfully mingling at the rehearsal dinner and enjoying moments with family. Radziwill’s late husband, Anthony, was Kennedy’s cousin and served as best man. The snapshots reveal a vivid narrative of the weekend, featuring unplanned moments—such as guests laughing under a canopy tent and Bessette-Kennedy dancing with friends in JFK Jr.’s jacket.

One of the standout features of the wedding was Bessette-Kennedy’s minimalist yet elegant attire, a slip dress designed by Narciso Rodriguez, which has since influenced modern bridal fashion. Radziwill noted that Bessette-Kennedy kept the wedding plans so discreet that many attendees weren’t informed until shortly before the event.

“Carolyn was determined to be married privately,” Radziwill said, reflecting on their success in pulling off an intimate and heartwarming ceremony. Radziwill recounted the moment the bride walked into the candle-lit church, describing it as a scene befitting a movie by Martin Scorsese.

Though Bessette-Kennedy’s wedding dress is a symbol of contemporary bridal fashion, the couple’s love story continues to resonate with fans and followers. As the series premieres, these glimpses into their lives promise to evoke nostalgia and admiration for a couple that captivated the world.

Despite the tragic loss of both JFK Jr. and Carolyn in a plane crash in 1999, their legacy lives on in the remarkable love story captured through these cherished photographs.