September Song

10/05/2001 at 10:36 AM EDT

Playing the detail-obsessed Mary Fiore in last winter's hit movie The Wedding Planner may well have rubbed off on Jennifer Lopez. From the moment the singer-actress walked down a tree-shaded, petal-strewn path to wed her dancer-choreographer beau, Cris Judd, on Sept. 29, everything was just so. The secret location -- a private mountaintop estate in Calabasas, Calif.-kept prying eyes at bay; 10,000 white and pastel rosebuds brought in for the occasion scented the air; a deejay and salsa band had the couple's 170 guests forming conga lines into the wee hours. Even the exchange of vows was precisely timed. "When the ceremony was finished, the sun was setting and the moon was out," says a guest. "The kiss, the embrace -- it was all perfect. They couldn't have ordered it better."

Quite a feat, considering the happy couple didn't take a lot of time to prepare. It was only four months ago that Lopez, 32, accepted an emerald-cut diamond engagement ring from Judd, 32, whom she first met last November when he danced in the video of her hit "Love Don't Cost a Thing." In the months that followed Lopez did her best to keep mum about their relationship, playing coy about the engagement even as she flashed her ring. But there was no hiding her affection when Lopez -- wearing a Valentino Couture off-white silk and Chantilly-lace gown -- stepped onto the white carpeted aisle on the arm of her father, David, 59, to the strains of "The Wedding March," played by a string quartet. "It was not about her being J.Lo or Jennifer Lopez," says Wedding Planner director Adam Shankman, a guest. "It was about her becoming Mrs. Cris Judd."

Family and close friends dominated the guest list and the bridal party. Lopez's seven bridesmaids, outfitted by Valentino in beige chiffon, included her sisters Leslie, 33, a music teacher, and Lynda, 30, a TV entertainment reporter. Her best friend, Arlene Rodriguez, 32, who grew up with her in The Bronx, served as maid of honor. Despite his relatively recent entry into Lopez's orbit, Judd saw fit to have Lopez's manager Benny Medina stand as his best man; his remaining six groomsmen were friends, including Eddie Garcia, a fellow dancer and choreographer. Judd's parents, Larry, 57, and Violeta, 54, the owners of an egg roll restaurant, flew in from their home in Niceville, Fla. Lopez's mother, Lupe, 55, who is divorced from David, a computer specialist, was part of the procession. "It was not a Hollywood wedding," says Shankman. "It was intimate and very casual. Even when Jennifer was walking down the aisle, she was saying hi to people."

Your Reaction

Follow Us

On Newsstands Now

Brad's Devotion: The Inside Story
  • Brad's Devotion: The Inside Story
  • Oklahoma Tornado: Heroic Rescues
  • Michael Douglas on Catherine's Health

Pick up your copy on newsstands

Click here for instant access to the Digital Magazine

Advertisement

From Our Partners

Watch It

Editors' Picks

From Our Partners