"With love, Mrs. Jennifer Lynn Affleck." Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez are officially married.

Almost two decades after their first engagement ended, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are officially married.

TMZ reported a marriage license was issued to Benjamin Geza Affleck and Jennifer Lynn Lopez in Clark County, Nevada on July 16, citing court records. Lopez is also identified on the paperwork as Jennifer Affleck.

In a newsletter confirming the news, JLo documented their day.

"We did it. Love is beautiful. Love is kind. And it turns out love is patient. Twenty years patient," she wrote.

"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. 

"Behind us two men held hands and held each other. In front of us, a young couple who made the three hour drive from Victorville on their daughter’s second birthday—all of us wanting the same thing— for the world to recognise us as partners and to declare our love to the world through the ancient and nearly universal symbol of marriage."

Image: OnTheLo. 

She said they married at the little white wedding chapel late at night, though they weren't married by Elvis (because he cost extra... and also because he was in bed).

JLo wore 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."

Lopez wrote that it was the best possible wedding, and one they had both dreamed of long ago.

"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."

She ended her newsletter by agreeing the age-old saying "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."

Image: OnTheLo. 

She signed off "with love, Mrs. Jennifer Lynn Affleck."

The couple were engaged three months ago, with Lopez teasing the announcement on social media in a video where she invited fans to subscribe to her newsletter for a "really exciting and special story."

Upon signing up to her site, viewers could see a video where JLo looks lovingly at a very sparkly green ring.

Image: OnTheLo. 

Speaking to People, she shared that their rekindled relationship was "a beautiful outcome".

"We can really appreciate and celebrate each other and respect each other," she said. 

"We always did, but we have even more of an appreciation because we know that life can take you in different directions.

"We have been in the game in the public eye long enough to know who we are as people and what really matters and what doesn't matter. We have kids and we respect each other... We really live our lives in a way we can be proud of and our kids can be proud of you. 

"We're just operating from a place of love and respect for everyone in our lives and that is very important to us. We know what the truth is [and] we hold it sacred."

Major announcement!!!! https://t.co/G5oGxtX0z5 pic.twitter.com/HTIqbHMJ2M

— jlo 💍 (@JLo) April 9, 2022

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A post shared by 𝙏𝙤𝙢 𝘽𝙖𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙠 Nails (@tombachik)

Believe it or not, Bennifer have been dating again since early 2021. So, we thought we'd take a look back at their relationship history up until now.

In the early 2000s, Bennifer's short-lived relationship was the stuff of tabloid dreams.

The former couple first met on the set of Gigli, a rom-com that ultimately flopped at the box office. At the time, Lopez was married to her second husband, former back-up dancer Cris Judd. 

Two months before Lopez and Judd announced their separation, Affleck spent a reported US$15,000 on a number of half-page ads about Lopez in publications including The Hollywood Reporter and Variety.

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez on The Tender Bar red carpet. Image: Getty.  

According to The New York Times, part of the advertisement read: "You have shown kindness, dedication, diligence, humility, graciousness of spirit, beauty in courage, great empathy, astonishing talent, real poise and true grace.

"It has been nothing but an honour and a pleasure to work with you. I only wish I were lucky enough to be in all your movies.''

The ad was signed, ''With love, respect and gratitude, Ben Affleck.'' 

While Affleck claimed that he placed the advertisement to refute claims that Lopez was a diva on set, it certainly raised a few eyebrows. In fact, the New York Times referred to the move as "flirtation by full-page ad". And, well, they were pretty much right.

Just a week after the ads ran, Affleck was photographed with Lopez at her parents' restaurant in Pasadena, California. By June 2002, Lopez had filed for divorced from Judd after just nine months of marriage, and 'Bennifer' were officially together.

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck. Image: Getty.  

"I am confirming the report that Jennifer Lopez has ended her engagement to Ben Affleck. At this difficult time, we ask that you respect her privacy," a statement from Lopez's rep read.

Meanwhile, Affleck's rep announced: "I am not going to confirm anything about his personal life. We don’t want to get dragged into quicksand. Everybody wants a war. It’s not happening from our side."

In her book True Love, Lopez referred to her separation from Affleck as her "first real heartbreak".

"Ben and I split up at the moment when I thought we were committing to each other forever... it felt like my heart had been torn out of my chest," she wrote, according to Page Six.

After their public split, both Lopez and Affleck moved on from their short-lived relationship, and began seeing other people, reportedly 'staying friends'.

And that brings us to their rekindling.

Speaking to The New York Times in February 2020, Affleck said that Lopez should have been nominated for an Oscar for her role in Hustlers.

"She's the real thing. I keep in touch periodically with her and have a lot of respect for her. How awesome is it that she had her biggest hit movie at 50? That's f***ing baller," the 49-year-old said.

Then in 2021, Affleck reflected in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter's Awards Chatter on how the media treated Lopez during their relationship.

"People were so f***ing mean about her – sexist, racist. Ugly, vicious sh*t was written about her in ways that if you wrote it now, you would literally be fired for saying those things you said," he said. 

"Now it's like, she's lionised and respected for the work she did, where she came from, what she accomplished – as well she f***ing should be!"

And with the pair both single again, rumours of their romance began. 

For months from April 2021, the pair drip fed the media tiny morsels of their new, blossoming relationship. 

Photos of Affleck leaving Lopez's house. Rumours they went on a holiday to Montana together. Affleck spending time with Lopez's mother, who always said he was her favourite of all her daughter's exes. A kiss and some neck nuzzling during a dinner out in LA. 

It was only on JLo's 52nd birthday that the pair went Instagram official with a carousel of images — one of which featured her and Affleck have a good ole' fashioned snog. 

They were engaged about a year after getting back together, and now, it appears, they have finally made it down the aisle.

Long live Bennifer. 

This article was originally published on April 9, 2022 and has been updated.

Feature Image: OnTheLo.

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