Why J.Lo And Ben Affleck Canceling Their 2003 Wedding Hurt Their Relationship

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck may be happily married now, but their road to the altar has undoubtedly been an interesting one. The couple met in early 2002 while filming their movie "Gigli," and a romance quickly ensued. By November 2002, Affleck had popped the question, sparking a media frenzy. The two were slated to walk down the aisle in September 2003. Sadly, they didn't make it to their wedding day.

"Due to the excessive media attention surrounding our wedding, we have decided to postpone the date," Affleck and Lopez confirmed in a September 2003 joint statement to People. However, there seemed to be more personal reasons at play. During Lopez's February 2024 chat with Apple Music, she revealed the couple simply was not ready to become husband and wife two decades ago, explaining, "We just weren't there yet." Unfortunately, after the Santa Barbara ceremony was canceled, their relationship suffered before they could finally get it right.

After Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck scrapped their nuptials, the "I'm Real" singer and Affleck did not immediately part ways. In fact, they chose to stay together for a while, which appeared to only complicate matters. Speaking of the imminent split during her February 2024 chat with Apple Music, Lopez shared, "We didn't break up right at that moment. It happened over the series of the next few months. What it did was it casted doubt in me ― and both of us ― about what our relationship was and where it was going."

In the end, it seems those few months of uncertainty led the couple to end things in January 2004. Surprisingly, just months later, in June 2004, Lopez secretly singer ex-boyfriend Marc Anthony in a private ceremony at her Beverly Hills home. As October 2004 rolled around, Affleck had also moved on publicly with fellow actor Jennifer Garner, making their first public appearance together at the World Series. The following year, in June 2005, Affleck and Garner married. With both Lopez and Affleck finding new loves, it appeared that they were done with one another for good. However, this would not keep "Bennifer" apart forever.

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck have seemingly grown since their first relationship. After rekindling their romance in April 2021, they finally had their Las Vegas wedding in July 2022. Now, Lopez is confident she and Affleck are going to last this time around. Shortly before her wedding, Lopez touched on why their relationship is more solid this time, telling People in February 2022, "I think we are strong enough now to know what's real and what's not, whereas when we were younger, maybe some of those outside voices were a little bit tougher for us to reconcile and survive."

While Lopez has said that they were both traumatized by their previous relationship, the superstar and Affleck appear to be in a great space. Despite some rumored tension between Affleck's ex-wife, Jennifer Garner, Lopez remains hopeful. Their first stalled marriage may have ultimately ended their relationship, but neither seems to have any regrets, with Lopez reassuring People, "It's a beautiful outcome that this has happened in this way at this time in our lives."