It looks like this is the ultimate weekend – when Ben Affleck will play Rhett Butler for Jennifer Lopez’s Scarlett O’Hara.
Although the two are already married, their ceremony will officially take place at the actor’s old Georgia home, described as “a remarkable re-creation of a southern antebellum Greek Revival plantation home.”
And my, how full circle.
Affleck, 50, first purchased the sprawling 87-acre Riceboro estate in 2003 for $7.11 million — at the same time he was dating Jennifer Lopez.
It was reported at the time that the two were even planning to build a wedding chapel on the property. But they ended their first engagement a year later, in 2004, and it never came to fruition.
The compound consists of three different structures and overlooks the North Newport River and Hampton Island.
The Big House is a 6,000-square-foot main residence with two floors, a porch, and a view of the river. It consists of four bedrooms and five bathrooms, including pine floors, vaulted fireplaces and 15-foot ceilings.
Along the path, beyond the porch, is the Summer Cottage, which is screened from those steamy summer evenings. It features a fireplace, exposed brick, sloping ceilings and a metal roof.
The final structure is known as the Oyster House, which spans a massive 10,000 square feet and comes with three primary suites and five other bedrooms with bunk beds “saved from ocean-going ships,” a previous listing says. A camp style house, this is likely where the reception will take place.
Affleck put the house on the market for $8.9 million in 2018, but later removed the listing during the 2020 pandemic.
“This beautiful estate has horseback riding, remarkable ocean access from your own deep-water dock, and near-endless tranquility,” noted the then listing.
The property was reportedly a “thriving rice plantation” known as the Hampton Pastures, which dates back to the pre-Civil War period, according to the WTOC.
And while this seems like the ideal place for JLo and Ben to say, “I do,” it seems their chosen location has already been ravaged by misfortune.
Affleck’s mother, Christopher Anne Boldt, suffered an arm injury at the home Friday afternoon and was rushed to hospital after falling from scaffolding. Photos show an ambulance departing with his mother from the grounds of the ‘Argo’ star.
Lopez, 53, and Affleck arrived in Georgia earlier this week for their big day. The ceremony is expected to be led by celebrity coach Jay Shetty, Vidak For Congress reported. The “Wedding Planner” actress is expected to walk down the aisle in a custom Ralph Lauren dress.
Meanwhile, Jennifer Garner has reportedly declined an invitation from the couple and will not attend.