Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez are engaged for the second time, nearly 20 years after they originally announced plans to walk down the aisle, then calling off their wedding in January 2004.
Here’s a breakdown of how the two engagements compare:
The announcement
Then: Lopez revealed in a November 2002 interview with ABC’s Primetime that Affleck had popped the question, although she hadn’t planned to do so. When the show’s Diane Sawyer first asked her about the possibility of marriage to Affleck, she would say only that they were “secure” in their relationship. However, the star changed her mind after speaking with Affleck on the phone during a break from taping. She then confirmed that they planned to marry.
Now: On April 8, 2022, the “Waiting for Tonight” singer teased on social media that she had a “major announcement!!!!,” a “special story” to share over on her newsletter, “On the JLo.” There, fans saw a video of Lopez eying a stunning new ring and whispering, “You’re perfect,” while the intro of her 2002 song “Dear Ben” played.
The ring
Then: Affleck had presented his love with a 6.1-carat pink diamond solitaire custom-made by luxury jeweler Harry Winston, estimated to cost $2.5 million. During that sit-down with Sawyer, Lopez noted that a pink diamond was her favorite gem.
Now: Lopez has written in an earlier edition of her newsletter that green is her favorite color, and her second ring from Affleck reflects that. According to reports, experts estimate its value at as much as $10 million.
The circumstances
Then: Affleck surprised Lopez with a proposal the first time around. He took her to his hometown of Boston, telling her it was going to be a casual visit. She realized his plan when they arrived at his home.
“It’s just a blanket, a quilt of rose petals, all over the whole entire house,” Lopez told Primetime. “So many candles, and vases, bouquets. And my song [‘I’m Glad’] was playing … I walk in and I was just like overwhelmed. I wasn’t expecting it, and I was just like ‘Oh my God.'”
When she asked who had done it all, Affleck said his mom had helped him. “I just started sobbing. Crying,” she said. “I was like ‘Oh! My God!'” She broke down in tears as the Armageddon star read her a list of all the reasons he wanted to marry her. “I had cried a lot over sadness over the years,” she said. “And for the first time in my life, I cried incredible purging tears of happiness.”
At the end, he officially asked her to marry him. When she said yes — after gawking at the ring — they shared a dinner of roast chicken left for them by Affleck’s mom.
Now: While they haven’t explained that part of it yet, J.Lo likely will at some point, whether it’s in her newsletter, on social media or in a news story following their impending nuptials.
