The day we’ve all been waiting for is here: Ben and Jen are officially married. I wish I were the type of person who was above the idea of making a vow that affirms the patriarchy and the authority of the state, but unfortunately, I am wedding-pilled—and thus, I have no hope of resisting the unbridled joy of Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez’s simple, seemingly spur-of-the-moment Vegas nuptials.
While I’m obsessed with the details of the Bennifer wedding (her kids and mom were there! They got the marriage license in Clark County, Nevada! I know it’s not about me, but the wedding was on my birthday!), the thing I’m even more curious about is the answer to the question: Who is Mrs. Jennifer Lynn Affleck? (Yes, Jen is taking Ben’s name, as she confirmed in an email newsletter she sent out to her fans last night.)
Obviously, the act of getting married itself doesn’t transform you into an entirely new person overnight, but I am curious about what Jennifer’s married-lady style is going to be. I think it rocks that she took Affleck’s name—for the record, I think literally anything you want to do to your name rocks, whether taking your spouse’s surname or changing the name that was assigned to you at birth, as long as it’s what you really want to do—but are we witnessing the rebrand of J.Lo? Are we about to witness J.Lo 2.0?
Part of me doesn’t want Jen to change at all; I feel most secure when I can walk into any movie theater and see her on the big screen, batting her eyes winningly at a male protagonist and stealing scenes in the rom-com of her choice. (For those hungering for the J. Lo rom-com experience we’ve largely been denied since the early aughts, may I suggest watching her and Owen Wilson in Marry Me? It’s…fine.) That said, I’m also down for a Gigli renaissance. What if Ben and Jen start starring in movies together again?
Here’s another question taking up precious space in my brain that was once devoted to knowing the counties of Northern Ireland by heart: How will a married Jen dress? Are we looking at a Princess Kate–like evolution of married style, or will she (please, God) just keep wearing extremely small and breathable workout-adjacent ’fits? Ben isn’t making her get rid of the giant sparkly coffee cup she clutched in her documentary, is he?
Ultimately, I can say without a trace of irony that it makes me feel deeply good and calm that Ben and Jen are wed. Jen’s statement on the wedding in her “On the JLo” newsletter—which (1) included the line “Love is beautiful. Love is kind. And it turns out love is patient. Twenty years patient,” which made me cry, and (2) who knew Jen had a newsletter?—was legitimately lovely, and man, maybe I’ve seen too many movies, but I hope these crazy kids make it work. Time for Jen Affleck to get really, really comfortable in the various Dunkin’ Donuts franchises of the greater Boston area!