Jennifer Lopez Shares Intimate Details Of Her Vegas Wedding To Ben Affleck

It’s official: Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are husband and wife — some two decades after getting engaged the first time around. The wedding was, by all accounts, a magical event full to the brim of romance, intimacy, and a little bit of adventure. Never one to disappoint fans, the new Mrs Affleck gave everyone a glimpse of the couple’s special day via her exclusive newsletter. And we have to say, it sounds like it was the perfect start to their happily ever after.

Romance is key

The ceremony took place on July 16, 2022, in a chapel in Las Vegas — just over a year after they confirmed they’d reignited their old flame and three months after the pair got engaged. For the second time, that is. Affleck got down on one knee in front of J.Lo back in April 2022 in what has to be one of the most romantic proposals ever! 

Smiling and crying

“While at my favorite place on earth (in the bubble bath), my beautiful love got on one knee and proposed,” Jennifer told fans in an issue of her OnTheJ.Lo web newsletter. “I… just looked in his eyes smiling and crying at the same time trying hard to get my head around the fact that after 20 years this was happening all over again. I was quite literally speechless and he said, ‘Is that a yes?’ I said, ‘YES of course that’s a YES.’” 

Quiet Saturday night

Lopez continued, "I was smiling so big and tears were coming down my face, feeling so incredibly happy and whole. It was nothing fancy at all, but it was the most romantic thing I could’ve ever imagined… just a quiet Saturday night at home, two people promising to always be there for each other." And the couple’s wedding would echo the same intimate sentiments.

The ring

J.Lo’s engagement ring was a whopping 8.5-carat diamond ring in a light shade of green — very different from the pink one Affleck had originally given her some 20 years before. Lopez posted a picture of herself wearing the ring on her newsletter to announce the news. But just three months down the line, she’d be swapping that big rock for her wedding band.

Hopping on a plane

In what may have been a spur-of-the-moment decision, Jen and Ben — or Bennifer — hopped on a plane to Las Vegas to say their “I dos.” In her newsletter to fans, J.Lo wrote, “Love is beautiful. Love is kind. And it turns out love is patient. Twenty years patient. Exactly what we wanted… [We] stood in line for a license with four other couples, all making the same journey to the wedding capital of the world.”

Going to the chapel

The couple then headed to the Little White Wedding Chapel, which has seen its fair share of celebrity weddings. According to J.Lo, it was pushing midnight by the time she and Affleck made it there. But the officiators kept the doors open a little longer than usual so the marriage could go ahead and the newlyweds could get photos in the pink Cadillac parked in the Love Tunnel. 

Past one guest’s bedtime

All couples who get married at the Little White Wedding Chapel have the option of saying their vows in front of someone very special — Elvis. An impersonator, of course — not the real deal. But it turns out Bennifer got to the chapel after The King’s bedtime. “If we wanted Elvis himself to show, that cost extra and he was in bed,” J.Lo told fans in her newsletter. 

The dress

As is the case with many star-studded weddings, fans were very intrigued to see what both Affleck and J.Lo wore on their big day — or night, we should say. The singer actually had two outfits for the occasion. The first was a cute yet classic high-neck A-line dress that hugged in all the right places, and it was particularly sentimental for the star.

Something old

It was, it seems, J.Lo’s “something old.” She’d worn it in a film she’d starred in ages ago. “I’ve had this dress for so many years,” she told her stylist Chris Appleton in an Instagram video. “And I’ve just been saving it, saving it, saving it, and now I’m wearing it on my wedding day.” Her big, bouncy curls and princess-like makeup finished off the look and looked just as amazing with the star’s second dress…

Outfit change

At the chapel, J.Lo changed into a more traditional bridal look — a figure-hugging, lace-sleeved gown with a veil to match. She looked stunning — but then again, J.Lo could have worn a towel down the aisle and still looked a million dollars. Affleck’s outfit, as you probably guessed, was a little more understated.

Ben’s look

While promising to take J.Lo to have and to hold, Affleck wore a white tux he already owned. And he didn’t have the luxury of a stylist like his wife-to-be. Instead, the actor got ready in the men’s W.C. at the chapel! Affleck took a video to document this part of the day, showing fans the small bathroom with his suit bag and rucksack balanced on the sink.

A few doors away

And J.Lo wasn’t exactly in a luxury hotel room or anything, either. She was a few doors away in the venue’s break room for staff. The star later thanked the chapel for being so flexible and for letting them use those rooms to freshen up. It all helped the couple to have what they described as “the best possible wedding we could have imagined.”

Real love

“When love is real,” J.Lo said in her newsletter, “the only thing that matters in marriage is one another and the promise we make to love, care, understand, be patient, loving and good to one another. We had that. And so much more. Best night of our lives.” But there are no doubt a few fans who were surprised at the couple’s choice of wedding.

The wedding of dreams

Between them, Bennifer are worth an estimated $550 million. So fans may have expected them to go all out, planning the sort of no-expenses-spared do lots of stars have these days. But J.Lo confirmed that this was the wedding the pair had always wanted — even all those years ago when they had first got together.

Glowing with happiness

J.Lo described the wedding as “one we dreamed of long ago and one made real (in the eyes of the state, Las Vegas, a pink convertible and one another) at very, very long last.” And you need only look at the photos to see happiness radiating off the newlyweds. That post-wedding glow was visible in J.Lo’s first Instagram post after the event as well.

Sadie!

In it, the new Mrs Affleck is in bed, tucked under the covers wearing a big smile and clutching her phone in her left hand, inviting fans to spot what’s different about her ring finger. Gone is the chunky green diamond, and in its place sits a simple, understated wedding band. The singer captioned the photo “Sadie!” as a reference to “Sadie, Sadie, married lady” from Funny Girl.  

Forever starts today

Summing up her big day in the newsletter, J.Lo wrote, “So with the best witnesses you could ever imagine, a dress from an old movie and a jacket from Ben’s closet, we read our own vows in the little chapel and gave one another the rings we’ll wear for the rest of our lives.” But the singer’s newsletter article isn’t all about her. It’s clear from her tone she’s rallying her fans, reaching out to any singletons and passing on her hope and optimism about finding love later in life.

Worth the wait

J.Lo wrote, “Stick around long enough and maybe you’ll find the best moment of your life in a drive through in Las Vegas at 12:30 a.m. in the Tunnel of Love drive-through, with your kids and the one you’ll spend forever with. Love is a great thing, maybe the best of things — and worth waiting for.” 

Name change

To fans, J.Lo will always be Jenny from the Block, but as is tradition, the star is said to have taken Affleck as her new surname. This makes her new full name Mrs Jennifer Lynn Affleck. And, funnily enough, it’s a change she opened up about back when she was engaged to Affleck the first time around.

J-Aff

In a 2003 episode of Ben & Jen: A Dateline Special, Lopez told Pat O’Brien, “I think I’m going to stay with Jennifer Lopez, but my name will be Jennifer Affleck, obviously.” She then joked about her new nickname J-Aff, saying, “it doesn’t quite have the same ring to it.” Little did she know back then how long and windy the road would be before she actually became Mrs Affleck!

Latin superstars

After J.Lo and Affleck called off their first engagement, Lopez married Marc Anthony. They were together ten years, from 2004 to 2014. On their own, they were both famous musicians, but together they were the definition of a power couple. Then, as they welcomed twins into the world, it seemed they had found a happily ever after. But as is the case with every marriage, the pair experienced some rocky moments ...

Candid moment

Lopez and Anthony's playful banter was on full display when they hosted the reality show, ¡Q'Viva! The Chosen. Well, until it all took a slightly uncomfortable turn. Anthony kept a very close eye on one of the female dancers as they left, in full view of his wife. He had to be doing it as a joke, right? The gossip that circulated about Anthony would say otherwise.

Finding happiness

Even while rumors of infidelity swirled, though, it appeared as if their love was meant to last. But one day, Lopez battled an anxiety attack and was struck by an unpleasant revelation. She'd made the difficult decision to end her marriage with Anthony, even though it was one of the hardest moments of her life.

Making amends

Then, several years after that divorce was finalized, Lopez appeared on The View and discussed where her relationship with Anthony stands today. "There’s a reason we’re not together, but we’re great friends and we’re parents together. We’re even working on a Spanish album together. That has been even better for us," she said. But though the dust had settled, their split wasn't without complications.

Fixing the situation

In her book True Love, Lopez claimed that her young son had worried about how much she would remain in her children's lives. Lopez comforted her son, however, making sure her kids knew she wasn't leaving them. That moment allowed her to build a more healthy relationship with her children, too. But how was Anthony handling the divorce?

Words of praise

Thankfully, Anthony has the utmost respect for Lopez as both a mother and an artist. "Before she even brings an idea up, she has visualized it a thousand times," Anthony told InStyle. "And if anyone says it might not be the greatest idea, she’ll say, 'You just don’t see it yet.'" He also said that Lopez taught him a lot. Oh, and there's another thing he won't ever forget about her, too.

Seeing the great

Basically, Anthony remains in awe of Lopez's incredible work ethic. If there was a single person he can count on to be the "first one in the room and the last to leave," that's Lopez. It seems their divorce healed their relationship — in the platonic sense, at least. After Anthony came Alex Rodriguez and a relationship that seemed to put Bennifer in the rear-view mirror for good.

Honeymoon stage

Known as both "J. Rod" and "A. Lo," the pair seemed like they were living out a fairytale. And news of their engagement probably came as no surprise to anyone tracking their relationship. That happy moment was followed by some disturbing developments, however.

Rumor mill

For one, there were rumors that A. Lo/J. Rod were on the rocks. Insiders insisted, though, that the pair had not called it quits and that their engagement was still on. Then, while fans wondered when the big day would finally arrive, a photo on Lopez's Instagram changed the game.

Photo hint

In the snap, Lopez's engagement ring was nowhere to be found. Then, after fan speculation ran wild, the two lovers finally revealed what the photo might have hinted: the engagement was off. But while this may have been a tragic bump in the road for poor Jenny, she wouldn't be unlucky in love for long.

Bennifer 2.0

In 2021 Bennifer 2.0 was back and in full swing! When papped photos first started appearing of the iconic duo, fans thought it was too good to be true. But it's not! It seems J-Lo and Ben Affleck are having the time of their lives both flaunting for the cameras and simply enjoying each other's company. But that doesn't mean the pair didn't have any concerns about getting back together.

Controversy

Affleck discussed his “cross to bear” while talking with Howard Stern in 2021, and it caused shockwaves across the entire internet. Some people were appalled at what he said, but one thing was for certain: it put Bennifer back in the public consciousness in a way it hadn’t been since the ’00s. 

Hesitation

Stern said to Affleck, “The relationship now, I see you’re with Jennifer. That even brings more attention to you. You’ve been through the scene when you’re constantly in the tabloids. Was there hesitation on your part, because now you’re a dad? Was there hesitation on your part to say, you know, ‘I can’t go through this again?’”

Responsibility

And there had indeed been hesitation on Affleck’s part, because of the previous media intrusion and the potential effect a new relationship might have on his kids. Affleck said, “It crossed my mind for sure. My responsibility to my children is the highest responsibility. I don’t want to do anything that is painful or destructive to them if I can help it.”

Did their best

All through the interview, Affleck was adamant that he had never wanted to hurt his children’s feelings in any way, no matter who he was involved with romantically. He described how even once his relationship with Garner had broken down, they had remained married for the sake of the kids and “did [their] best” despite everything.

Lucky

And those comments about “going through this again” could have also perhaps been taken in an unflattering way. Yet, luckily, it didn’t seem to have any effect at all on how Lopez felt about Affleck. She spoke to People magazine in February 2022 about how “lucky and happy and proud” she was to be with him. 

Safety

Lopez told the magazine, “I just feel very happy and lucky to be in a relationship that’s happy and loving, and I want to do everything I can to protect that and keep it safe. It deserves that, it really does.” But she did have a lot to say about the ways the paparazzi had impacted their lives the first time around.

A bit of fear

According to Lopez, both she and Affleck “had a little bit of fear” about getting back together in the public eye. She remembered, “Before we kind of put [our relationship] out there, and we were naïve and it got a little trampled.” But this second time around, she felt as though things had changed.

A beautiful time

Lopez told People, “We both were like, ‘Wow, we’re so happy and we don’t want any of that to come into play again.’ We’re older now, we’re smarter, we have more experience, we’re at different places in our lives, we have kids now, and we have to be very conscious of those things. We’re so protective because it is such a beautiful time for all of us.”

Pride

And Lopez absolutely sung the praises of Affleck as well. She said, “I’m so proud of him. I’m so proud of the man he’s become that I’ve watched from afar… To see the person, the human being, the man that he is today, the father that he is today, the partner that he is — he is so everything I always knew he was and wanted to be.” May their happiness continue for a long time!