Friend recalls secrecy, intimacy at JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette's wedding

Sasha Chermayeff, a close friend of John F. Kennedy Jr., recalled the couple’s intimate September 1996 wedding on Cumberland Island and how they managed to keep the ceremony secret. She said she was sworn to secrecy, invited only weeks before, and that guests were asked to come by word of mouth to avoid a paper trail.

The service was held at the historic First African Baptist Church, described as beautiful with moss hanging from the trees and lit by candlelight. Chermayeff noted the guest list was small—about 40 people—with Caroline Kennedy as matron of honor and Anthony Radziwill as best man.

Family members and close friends attended, including Edwin Schlossberg and his children, Bessette’s mother and sisters, and friends like Jessica Weinstein and Jules Birnbaum, as well as designer Narciso Rodriguez. She called the ceremony “incredibly touching and beautiful,” saying Carolyn looked stunning and John was emotionally charged.

jfk jr, carolyn bessette, cumberland island, african baptist, caroline kennedy, anthony radziwill, narciso rodriguez, secret wedding, intimate ceremony, september 1996