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A beaming Jennifer Lopez was shopping in Georgia on Thursday, ahead of her weekend wedding celebrations commemorating her marriage to Ben Affleck.
Lopez, 52, and Affleck, 50, tied the knot officially in Las Vegas last month, but this weekend are holding a lavish party.
On Thursday the singer was spotted in downtown Savannah with her children. Her husband accompanied the group, in a beige shirt and baseball cap, as preparations continued at his estate for the party.
Affleck bought the $8million, 86-acre estate in 2003. Lopez’s mom Guadalupe, 76, also arrived in Georgia on Thursday for the weekend.
The singer was pictured in Savannah on Thursday in wide-legged linen trousers and a ruched top
Affleck (far right) joined the group for the excursion to Savannah, shading his eyes from the sun in a beige baseball cap
She was seen holding an iced drink, surrounded by family and security, as she strolled the streets of the historic city
Lopez flashes her huge ring on her finger as they arrived to the planned wedding event on Thursday afternoon in a black car
Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez are set to have their dream wedding celebration at the couple’s enormous plantation-style compound – which includes the main, ‘Big House’, a ‘Farmhouse,’ where the nuptials will take place, and a larger Oyster House – in Riceboro, Georgia this weekend
Exclusive DailyMail.com photos show Puerto Rican socialite and former school worker making her way through Savannah Hilton Head International Airport after a two-hour Delta flight from New York.
The mom-of-three was dressed down for the trip in patterned pants, a red cardigan and Nautica sandals and carried her own suitcase.
Asked whether she was looking forward to the wedding, which will take place over the weekend, Guadalupe – who goes by ‘Lupe’ – declined to comment.
The 76-year-old was driven away in a black Suburban SUV which was later seen being escorted by local cops into 84-acre Ben Affleck’s $8m Riceboro mansion where the glitzy party will take place.
Lopez has admitted to having a ‘complicated’ relationship with her mother and claimed she ‘beat the s***’ out of her as a child in her recent Netflix documentary Halftime.
The 52-year-old star said: ‘She [Rodriguez] did what she had to do to survive, and it made her strong, but it also made her tough. She beat the s*** out of you.’
Lopez also told how she moved out at 18 following a fight with her mother. She said: ‘My mom was like, ‘If you’re gonna live in this house, you’re gonna get your education.
‘We got into a bad fight one night and I just left.’
Jennifer Lopez’s mother Guadalupe Rodriguez, 76, was seen at arriving in Savannah, Georgia, Thursday
Her mother was seen at the airport in a red cardigan and sandals, pulling a small pink suitcase
Preparations are underway for Guadalupe’s daughter’s wedding to Ben Affleck at their plantation-style home in Georgia
Rodriguez also appeared in the documentary and said she had been hard on Lopez and her two sisters Leslie and Lynda.
In one scene, she is seen speaking to Lopez and telling her: ‘I always had the highest expectations of them. It wasn’t to be critical.
‘It was only to show you that you could do better. Jennifer, she gave me the hardest time, to tell you the truth. We butted heads a lot.’
She added: ‘I was far from the perfect mother. The one thing I can always say, everything I did, I did with their best interest at heart.’
The pair now have a close relationship, with Guadalupe telling the View’s Sunny Hostin that she always knew Ben Affleck was her daughter’s true love.
Speaking after the couple’s surprise Vegas wedding, Hostin said: ‘I knew they would get back together. I knew that they were in love.
‘I’ve spoken to her mother, Lupe, about it. Lupe has always said that Ben is her true love.’
Affleck, 50, has also endured difficult family relationships – in particular with his Scottish father Timothy, 77.
Affleck Sr, who lives in upstate New York, is a retired social worker who struggled with alcohol abuse in the past – a trait he shares with his son who has endured several stints in rehab.
In 2020, Affleck spoke about his dad’s battle with the bottle, telling People magazine: ‘My father didn’t get sober until I was 19 and so I know how important those years are and they are all the more critical for me.
‘I also see my Dad’s life for what it is, which is the guy who tried his best, who dealt with addiction and then overcame it.
‘My father was definitely a low bottom alcoholic and yet for thirty years, he hasn’t had a drink. And now, I take that as the principal lesson and legacy of his life – is that he dramatically improved it.’
It is unclear whether Affleck Sr will attend the wedding and he admitted to being left in the dark when the couple reunited.
Speaking to the Sun in June 2021, the 77-year-old said he didn’t know the pair were together again and said he hadn’t seen his sons for two years.
He said: ‘I talk to my kids about their lives when I see them and they share with me what they want to share.
‘I haven’t seen my kids in so long, what with their work and Covid.’
Affleck’s brother Casey, 48, will be there for Saturday’s big day and is also expected to attend Friday’s rehearsal dinner and a family barbecue on Sunday.
Earlier today, DailyMail.com revealed the wedding has been four months in the planning and huge marquees have already been erected in the grounds of Affleck’s plantation-style estate.
Trucks carrying wedding infrastructure and food have also been seen arriving in the past day with the ceremony expected to take place at the center of the property close to a building named the Farmhouse.
Celebrity life coach Jay Shetty has been lined up to officiate.
Guadalupe was seen grabbing lunch in Malibu, California, with Ben and Jen back in May
The couple surprised their fans when they opted for a low-key Las Vegas wedding at the world famous Little White Wedding Chapel last month
Exclusive pictures obtained by DailyMail.com offer a tantalizing look at the sheer scale of Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez’s wedding celebrations set to take place in Georgia this weekend.
One month after they secretly said ‘I do’ in the Little White Chapel in Las Vegas, Mr. and Mrs. Affleck are hosting an ‘intimate’ celebration at 50-year-old Affleck’s grand plantation-style home in Riceboro, 37 miles south of Savannah.
And this is what ‘intimate’ looks like when hosted by two global superstars.
Because, DailyMail.com can reveal, while the world only learned about the party this week, the multi-day extravaganza which will take in a rehearsal dinner on Friday, the main event on Saturday and a barbecue on Sunday, has been four months in the planning.
Preparations were underway at the massive property on Thursday – hours before the multi-day celebration is set to kick off
On Thursday security checkpoints were seen on roads leading to the couple’s secluded wedding set up on rural Hampton Island Preserve in Riceboro
Large marquees have been erected and huge trucks ferrying food and infrastructure can be seen parked up on site
Going inside: Bennifer will celebrate a second dream wedding at Ben’s majestic estate which he bought in 2003 when he was first dating the singer-actress
We have learned that Saturday’s celebrations will take place in the center of the property, focused around a building known as the Farmhouse.
Celebrity life coach and famous podcaster Jay Shetty is expected to officiate as the already married couple confirm their vows on Saturday.
As reported by Page Six, Shetty, who has played host to stars including Gwyneth Paltrow, Kobe Bryant, and Will Smith on his podcast ‘On Purpose,’ has been close to the couple for years.
Large marquees have been erected and huge trucks ferrying food and infrastructure can be seen parked up on site.
Sprung wood flooring has been laid, furniture shipped in and ice-machines installed across the property to guarantee guests an ice-cold beverage in the heavy heat of the Georgia tidal marsh in which Ben’s property sits overlooking the Newport River.
The so-called ‘Big House’ sits on the edge of the river, beyond the dense woods seen in these pictures.
It sprawls over 6,000 sq. ft. and is where Affleck and Lopez, 53, are staying with their five children – Lopez’s 14-year-old twins Emme and Max, and Affleck’s daughters Violet, 16, and Seraphina, 13, and son Samuel, 10.
The Oyster House sits next to it – 10,000 sq. ft. with three master suites and five further bedrooms. It was originally designed to be a lodge for a private hunting club for the rich and elite that never came to fruition.
A high wooden gate has been erected across the access road to Hampton Island, the nature preserve on which Affleck’s property sits
Sprung wood flooring has been laid, furniture shipped in and ice-machines installed across the property to guarantee guests an ice-cold beverage in the heavy heat of the Georgia tidal marsh
A work truck was spotted leaving the security checkpoint outside the property on Thursday afternoon
A van for an event rental and design business that supplies tableware, tents, and other party essentials, seen dropping off equipment at the estate
A high wooden gate has been erected across the access road to Hampton Island, the nature preserve on which Affleck’s property sits
Pictured is the tidal salt marsh on which Affleck’s estate sits overlooking the Newport River
The compound’s ‘Big House’ sits on the edge of the river, beyond the dense woods seen in these pictures
Instead, it is part of Affleck’s private kingdom and, DailyMail.com has learned, is where some of the couple’s wedding guests will stay.
There are 13 further rental homes on the property which have been given over to the couple’s starry guests. DailyMail.com has learned that many, including Affleck’s brother Casey, are already on site
The home has special meaning to Affleck who bought it in 2003 when he and Lopez first got together.
It was reportedly the location in which they intended to marry first time round, before their high-octane engagement foundered under the pressure of their mutual stardom.
Affleck put the property on sale in 2018 for $8.9million. He reduced the price to $7.6million the following year but quietly took it off the market entirely in June 2020.
On Thursday security was tight. A high wooden gate has been erected across the access road to Hampton Island, the nature preserve on which Affleck’s property sits.
A sign instructs all-comers to have their ID ready to be checked by the security guards who stand sentry along with a local Sheriff Deputy who is permanently stationed at the gate.
The gorgeous estate features a central mansion designed in a plantation style over 4,000 acres, according to Homes And Gardens.
Tucked away: The estate, is located on Hampton Island, south of Savannah and overlooks the Newport River
Spacious: The elegant home covers 557 square meters and features towering ceilings and pinewood floors for a classic Southern touch
Spacious and roomy: While the Oyster House could easily serve as a guest house for some of Ben and Jennifer’s closest guests, it would also be an ideal gathering spot for the wedding party
Enormous: The Oyster house is even larger than the main mansion, with ver 10,000 sq. ft. of floor space, three master suites and five additional bedrooms which have bunk beds that were salvaged from ships
Stroke of luck: They almost didn’t have Ben’s estate to count on, as he put it on the market in 2018 for $8.9 million, before lowering the price to $7.6 million in 2019. Luckily, he took it off the market in June 2020, according to Radar
The front entrance is flanked by stunning white columns, and a tall staircase heads up from the circular driveway to the second level, which features a balcony overlooking the front yard.
The rooms in the main mansion are decorated with rustic chandeliers and mostly white furniture in some rooms.
A study features darker wood for built-in bookcases, along with multiple sofas that make it ideal for social late into the night.
The exterior features a large patio stocked with rocking chairs, and there’s a similarly large balcony overlooking it.
The large center space could easily be converted for dining or dancing, and balconies within the building would give guests a great view of the festivities.
The area is incredibly private, and visitors to the island where the property is located need to produce permission from a resident on the island in order to be able to cross a bridge to it.
Celebrity guests: Among the celebrity guests expected to attend is Ben’s best friend Matt Damon, brother Casey Affleck, Jimmy Kimmel, and Drea de Matteo; Damon and Casey Affleck are pictured in 2016
Family: Also likely to attend will be Lopez’s twins Maximilian and Emme, 14, who she shares with ex-husband Marc Anthony, 53; Pictured 2022 in Paris
Blended brood: Meanwhile Ben shares daughters Violet, 16, and Seraphina, 13, and son Samuel, 10, with ex-wife Jennifer Garner, 50; Pictured with Violet and Samuel in 2019
The dock on the river pays tribute to Ernest Hemingway with a replica of the legendary writer’s fishing boat Pilar, which is held there on a lift.
In addition to the three main buildings, there’s plenty of outdoor space on the grounds for guests to explore while partying throughout the weekend.
Ben’s Georgia home dates back to his first go around with Jennifer in 2003 when he bought it for around $7million.
Speaking about the second wedding, an insider told Page Six: ‘It’s going to be all about J.Lo. Ben wants all of the focus to be on her for their big day.’
The weekend festivities with family and friends will start with a rehearsal dinner on Friday, according to the source.
It will be followed by a ceremony on Saturday, and the couple will close out their celebrations with ‘a barbecue and picnic’ on Sunday.
The Hustlers star will reportedly be wearing a custom couture Ralph Lauren dress made in Italy, after previously wearing two different dresses for her Vegas wedding, including a wedding dress ‘from an old movie’ she worked on and a lacy creation designed by Zuhair Murad.
Pals: In February, Jennifer invited Jay Shetty to officiate four weddings that she organized as part of a PR stunt for her latest movie Marry Me
Mr and Mrs: J.Lo shared details of their special day and signed the statement from ‘Mrs. Jennifer Lynn Affleck’
The superstar’s wedding fashion is also going to be documented for Vogue magazine.
Among the celebrity guests expected to attend is Ben’s best friend Matt Damon, Jimmy Kimmel, Drea de Matteo and his brother Casey Affleck.
Though it’s not known who else is on the guest list, Jennifer’s closest family members are her twins Maximilian and Emme, 14 — whom she shares with ex-husband Marc Anthony, 53 — as well as her mother Guadalupe and father David, and sisters Lynda and Leslie.
Her best celebrity friends are Leah Remini, Jane Fonda and Renee Zellweger.
The couple surprised their fans when they opted for a low-key Las Vegas wedding at the world famous Little White Wedding Chapel last month, where they read their own vows and opted not to pay extra for an Elvis impersonator.
J.Lo confirmed they tied the knot in Vegas in her newsletter. The chart-topping star also signed the letter using her new name ‘Jennifer Lynn Affleck.’
‘We did it. Love is beautiful. Love is kind. And it turns out love is patient. Twenty years patient,’ she wrote in her post.
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