Jennifer Lopez's dreams of a traditional Catholic wedding have been shattered, after it was revealed she must first get an annulment for her previous marriage to waiter Ojani Noa.
While the actress is divorced from both her previous husbands, Church rules say that any previous Catholic marriages must be annulled by the Church itself. Her divorce from second husband Chris Judd - with whom she tied the knot in a civil ceremony - is therefore acceptable, but her first marriage must be terminated by religious authorities.
The Bronx-born beauty had been planning to marry boyfriend Ben Affleck in Puerto Rico on Valentine's Day. She may have to settle for a civil ceremony or another denomination, however, if she still wants to become Mrs Affleck on February 14.
The only other option is to wait for an annulment to come through – which could take up to two years. "Jennifer is crushed that her dream of a huge Catholic wedding may have gone up in smoke," said one source close to the couple. "A month ago she was telling people that she'd be able to get the church to agree to a hurry-up annulment. Now every time she thinks about it she gets weepy."
In order to get the annulment, Jennifer must prove that the original wedding vows are null and void because "adequate consent" was not given at the time. She would face a detailed interview to assess the application, before it is ruled on by three ecclesial judges. Even then, the ruling is subject to the approval of a second panel before it becomes final.
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