Jennifer Lopez Eloped With Ben Affleck In Vegas Because of ‘PTSD’
Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez attend the Los Angeles Special Screening Of "Marry Me" on February 08, 2022 in Los Angeles, California.
Jennifer Lopez says that the stress of wedding planning with Ben Affleck led to the couple’s impromptu Las Vegas elopement a month before their lavish Georgia wedding. During an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live Wednesday (January 18) night, the Shotgun Wedding star opened up about planning for her big day with Affleck, calling the process “so stressful.”
“Twenty years ago we were supposed to get married, and it kind of all fell apart back then,” Lopez, 53, said, referencing her first engagement to the Gone Girl actor in 2002. “And this time we still — I absolutely did — had a little PTSD. I was like, ‘Is this happening? Is this really happening?’ And we were so happy, and of course, it was happening, but I just felt like the wedding was so stressful. And one day, Ben just says, ‘F— it. Let’s just go to Vegas and get married tonight.’ That day!”
She initially thought it wouldn’t be possible because she had a rehearsal, but her future husband had it all planned out. “He was like, ‘Go to rehearsal. When you get back here, I’m going to have everything all setup. Three of our kids were at camp, two of them were with us and he was like, ‘They’re going to be our witnesses. Let’s go. We’re doing it tonight.’ And we did! It was amazing! It was the best night of our life,” she shared. Lopez added that they had to wait in line for their marriage license like everyone else at the county clerk’s office. Bennifer 2.0 celebrated their love with a second ceremony in Savannah in August.
In regards to the couple’s famed nickname, Lopez admitted that she has “learned to embrace it” over the years. Meanwhile, the host was trying to throw out other names to her to see if she’d consider using “Aflo” or “Loaf.” Lopez didn’t think they had a nice ring to them. Watch the interview below:
Celebrities and Fans React To Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck Marriage
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck got married over the weekend in Las Vegas after previously being engaged 20 years ago before calling it quits.
Writing to her On The JLo newsletter, Lopez, 52, said, “We did it. Love is beautiful. Love is kind. And it turns out love is patient. Twenty years patient.”
She continued to say that their elopement was “exactly what we wanted. Last night we flew to Vegas, stood in line for a license with four other couples, all making the same journey to the wedding capital of the world,” adding that they only wished “for the world to recognize us as partners and to declare our love to the world through the ancient and nearly universal symbol of marriage.”
The Hollywood “It” couple kept their attire simple, with J-Lo wearing “a dress from an old movie” and Ben wearing “a jacket from Ben’s closet.” Lopez said it was the “best possible wedding we could have imagined. 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.”
Lopez said of their relationship, “When love is real, 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. They were right when they said, ‘all you need is love.’ We are so grateful to have that in abundance, a new wonderful family of five amazing children and a life that we have never had more reason to look forward to. Stick around long enough and maybe you’ll find the best moment of your life in a drive-through in Las Vegas at twelve-thirty in the morning 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.”
The singer and actress signed the newsletter, “With love, Mrs. Jennifer Lynn Affleck.”
News of the nuptials traveled fast, with celebrities and fans alike wishing the couple congratulations. Vanessa Hudgens told E! News of her Second Act co-star, “I was literally scrolling through Instagram and I saw that and I gasped.”
On Instagram, Vanessa Bryant wished Lopez congratulations, while Hoda Kotb wrote, “Love is patient and right on time. Congrats my darling.”
Fans congratulated the couple on getting hitched, while others sought this opportunity to troll the “Love Don’t Cost A Thing” singer, who has famously been married several times and in many relationships. See their reactions below:
Laila Abuelhawa is the Top 40 and Hip-Hop pop culture writer for Beasley Media Group. Being with the company for over three years, Laila's fierce and fabulous red-carpet rankings have earned her a feature on 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert!' Her favorite stories are those surrounding the latest in celebrity fashion, television and film rankings, and how the world reacts to major celebrity news. With a background in journalism, Laila's stories ensure accuracy and offer background information on stars that you wouldn't have otherwise known. She prides herself in covering stories that inform the public about what is currently happening and what is to come in the ever-changing, ever-evolving media landscape.
