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Jennifer Lopez's 20-year-old moving wedding surprise for 'shocked' Ben Affleck

The couple were previously engaged from 2002 to 2004

jlo ben wedding
Nichola Murphy
Deputy Lifestyle Editor
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Jennifer Lopez revealed her first relationship with Ben Affleck actually inspired part of the couple's recent wedding, which took place at the actor's $8 million home in Georgia.

MORE: Jennifer Lopez reveals family was sick and 'worried' ahead of wedding to Ben Affleck

The On the Floor hitmaker and the Deep Water star were previously engaged from 2002 to 2004, and they had planned several aspects of their wedding before their split. Opening up about their second wedding celebration in her newsletter On the JLo, Jennifer explained that she "shocked" Ben by secretly organising a live rendition of their "perfect wedding song", True Companion by Marc Cohn.

WATCH: Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck's love story revealed

"Ben and I talked about Marc Cohn’s 'True Companion' as the perfect wedding love song in this very house more than twenty years ago. Though Ben didn’t know, I asked Marc to surprise him by singing it at our wedding and he was lovely and generous to come," she began.

After JLo – dressed in a mermaid bridal gown by Ralph Lauren – walked down the aisle to The Things We've Handed Down, which she said was "the perfect choice as our five children preceded me on the walk," Marc sang True Companion for the couple.

SHOP: Jennifer Lopez's mermaid wedding dresses were iconic – and we've found the best lookalikes

READ: Jennifer Lopez serenades husband Ben Affleck during wedding reception

jlo ben affleck wedding

JLo organised Marc Cohn to sing a live rendition of True Companion at their Georgia wedding. Photo: On the JLo.

"As the eldest of our children finished her walk, Marc began 'True Companion,' a song we first listened to together what seemed both like yesterday and forever ago — and life came, strangely, beautifully, mysteriously, divinely full-circle.

"Later Ben told me that the chords of the song and seeing Marc Cohn both shocked him and allowed him to feel the way both roads we had walked found their way, inevitably, inexorably, and perfectly together. 

jennifer garner children

Ben's three children joined Jennifer and her kids to walk down the aisle

"And when he saw me appear at the top of the stairs that moment it both made absolute sense while seeming still impossibly hard to believe, like the best dream, where all you want is never to awaken."

During their lavish three-day wedding, Ben reportedly made an "impassioned speech" explaining that he and Jennifer did not marry the first time because they needed to have their respective children, whom he described as a  "blessing and gift", according to UsWeekly.

jennifer lopez ben affleck 2002

The couple first got engaged in 2002

After their break-up, Ben went on to have three kids, Violet, 16, Seraphina, 13, and Samuel, ten, with his ex-wife Jennifer Garner, while JLo shares twins Emme and Max, 14, with ex-husband Marc Anthony.

He added that their existence is "proof that everything happens for a reason".

LOOK: Victoria Beckham's 9 most dramatic wedding guest outfits of all time

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