In a revelation that sheds light on the emotional state of Carolyn Bessette Kennedy before her wedding, long-time colourist Brad Johns has spoken candidly about his experiences with the late fashion publicist. The pair had a close relationship, having worked together since 1996, and Johns shared his memories of a particularly anxious moment leading up to her secret nuptials with John F. Kennedy Jr.
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The wedding took place on September 21, 1996, in a private ceremony at the First African Baptist Church on Cumberland Island, Georgia. Ahead of the big day, Carolyn expressed a strong desire to drastically alter her signature blonde waves, asking Johns to dye her hair black. During an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, Johns recounted how he had never seen Carolyn so apprehensive.
“She came in frantic. I said, ‘What’s wrong with you?’” Johns recalled, reminiscing about that day. He noted that Carolyn, who was known for attending grand events, was particularly unsettled as the wedding approached. Their conversations revealed her nervousness, despite her usual confidence in social settings. Carolyn described the wedding as “different,” prompting her dramatic request for a new hair colour.
Johns, who had cultivated her well-known blonde look using his distinctive “chunking” technique, found the request surprising. “I went, ‘I’m not ruining all my work to make you look like Morticia!’”, he joked, referencing the iconic character from The Addams Family. His light-heartedness, however, masked the seriousness of Carolyn’s nerves.
Despite his amusement, it was clear to Johns that something significant lay beneath Carolyn’s anxious facade. He tried to reassure her, saying, “You love him, and you look beautiful!” However, Carolyn remained insistent about wanting a change. “No, this is different! Let’s just dye something totally different, like maybe black to look different than I looked before,” she insisted.
In the end, Johns managed to pacify her by suggesting a more understated adjustment to her hair, leaning towards a subtly blonder hue which was more fitting for the summer season. “I’ve never seen her that nervous,” he reflected, still unaware that she was preparing for a life-altering moment.
Interestingly, Johns theorised about the reasons behind Carolyn’s desire to transform her look ahead of her wedding day. “Because she was a nervous wreck,” he explained. He posited that changing one’s hair colour can serve as a means of escaping one’s anxious self. “If you change your hair colour, you’re not the person who’s nervous looking in the mirror, you’re someone else,” he suggested.
As he reminisced about their time together, Johns noted that his goal was always to keep Carolyn’s look natural and consistent with her identity. “I knew to keep her looking like a surfer girl,” he added, indicating that he understood and respected her persona.
The wedding of Carolyn Bessette Kennedy and John F. Kennedy Jr. continues to captivate public interest, and their love story has recently been brought back into the limelight. It is set to be explored in Ryan Murphy’s upcoming series, *American Love Story*, available on FX and Hulu. The series aims to narrate the complexities of their relationship, including the pressures they faced as a high-profile couple.
As interest in their story rekindles, the late fashion publicist’s pre-wedding jitters resonate with many, illustrating that even in moments of significant joy, nerves can play a substantial role. Carolyn’s story is a poignant reminder of the human experience, where moments of trepidation can accompany the excitement of new beginnings.