Taraji P. Henson is continuing to plan her wedding to fiancé Kelvin Hayden, but her ceremony is not going to have all the traditional elements of an American wedding.
The “Empire” star stopped by “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” Thursday, Sept. 19, to discuss the sixth and final season of her Fox show and also dished on her plans for her nuptials.
“I don’t do samples,” she explained of the ceremony, which she previously indicated will happen on April 4, 2020. “I don’t do samples. Don’t send me swatches. I told my wedding planner make it pretty, fun, make sure the food is good and a bomb DJ. No bridal party. I’m not a bridezilla. Please, I just want to say my vows in front of people I love, eat good food and have fun. That’s it!”
Henson got engaged to Hayden, a former Indianapolis Colts cornerback and Super Bowl champion, on Mother’s Day in 2018 after they went public with their romance a year earlier.
The actress eagerly announced their betrothal on Instagram by uploading a dessert plate of chocolate cake, whipped cream and chocolate-covered strawberries that read “Congratulations.” Henson’s sparkler was in the foreground of the pic.
“I said yes y’all!!! He started with the Cartier love bracelet BUT that was my #Mothersday gift and then he dropped to his knee and I almost passed out!!! 😩😩😂😂😂#sheisofficiallyoffthemarket and she is sooooooooooooo HAPPY!!!!!! #GODIS 💍💋💋💋” read the TV and movie star’s caption.
The actress previously shared how she met her main squeeze while on “Conan” back in February.
“[My makeup artist] orchestrated this whole party and she invited all the eligible bachelors in Chicago … I’m not a blind date girl. I was like … you need to start showing me pictures of these guys you’re inviting,” Henson said. She added the first photo her makeup artist showed her was of Hayden.
“I zoomed into his eyes and I was like, he just touched me [in my heart]. Something about his eyes is very gentle,” Henson said. By the time the party rolled around, the star was looking specifically for the former NFL player.
“When he comes over to the section it’s like the room disappeared, a spotlight hit him, and it was like ahhh!” Henson said.
Henson has not been married before. She and her high school sweetheart, William Lamar Johnson, got pregnant during the actress’s senior year of college, resulting in the birth of Marcell, her only child, in 1994. In 2003 Johnson was slain after he confronted a couple for allegedly slashing his friend’s tires, Star magazine reported.
