Money Rehab with Nicole Lapin - Why Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck Got Married in Vegas

Episode Date: August 22, 2022

Sure, Vegas is a fun wedding destination — but celebrity royalty could get married anywhere in the whole wide world. Why is Vegas so popular? The reasoning actually has a money trail. Nicole explains.

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Well, it doesn't. Charge for wasting our time. I will take a check. Like an old school check. You recognize her from anchoring on CNN, CNBC, and Bloomberg. The only financial expert you don't need a dictionary to understand. Nicole Lappin. As the internet so keenly pointed out, we're back in the 90s.

Low-cut jeans are in. Ugh. We're wearing scrunchies. And Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez are back together. And I should add, not only is this nostalgic power couple back together, but they're actually married. Let that be a lesson to anyone mourning a former fling. Maybe the one that got away isn't so far away after all. Back to business. Ben and Jen got married in Las Vegas on July 17th, allegedly barely making the midnight cutoff for weddings at the chapel. Okay, night owls, get it?

This celebrity wedding came on the heels of Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker tying the knot in Vegas in April. Even if you're not so much into pop culture, isn't this enough to make you ask yourself, why Vegas? Sure, Vegas is a fun wedding destination, but celebrity royalty could get married anywhere in the whole wide world. So why is Vegas so popular?

Longtime lawyer to the stars Alphonse Provenziano has an answer. And no, it's not that celebrities are pumped to tie the knot in front of an Elvis impersonator. Provenziano argues that it actually has more to do with Nevada's lax state laws on marriage. Interestingly, as journalist Stevie Wilson points out, before Nevada was a wedding destination, it was a divorce destination. During the Great Depression, divorce was a difficult and long procedure in many parts of the country. Arguably, not a lot has changed, but I digress. In the 1930s, the Nevada state government saw divorce as a potential new income stream for the state. Essentially, the idea

was to spur a new kind of tourism, divorce tourism. And it worked. Actress Rita Hayworth, General Douglas MacArthur, and painter Norman Rockwell all traveled to Nevada to get their divorces. This plan worked so well for the state that government officials decided to expand this strategy and make it easier for couples to get married in Nevada. Not only would that mean attracting more visitors, but let's be honest, it also meant that Nevada would become less of a bummer. Wedding tourism sounds so much better than divorce tourism. Am I right? Initially, getting married in Nevada was easier than other states for two major reasons. First,

the state did not require a blood test before getting married. And second, marriage licenses were issued the very same day they were requested. So instead of having to wait, say, 90 days like other states, couples could decide to get married and if they got swept up enough or, let's face it, drunk enough, could go to Nevada and get married that very same day. Provenziano argues that the quick marriage license turnaround attracts celebrities because celebs are able to do speedy surprise weddings before the tabloids catch wind of the plan. I think there's some truth to the point about Vegas and the press. These Californian couples like Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker have a hard time going anywhere in Los Angeles without being caught on camera. If they want privacy on their special day, Vegas is a short flight from LA with a much less aggressive paparazzi presence. However, I would complicate Provenziano's argument a little bit. While it is

true that Nevada used to have a huge edge over other states in terms of quick marriages, other states have since caught up. In fact, there are now 31 states where you can get a marriage license the same day. So celebrity couples and non-famous couples alike likely aren't seeking out Vegas for speed alone. I would argue it's more of an issue of branding. There is a decades-long rich history of uber-famous celebrities having very cool ceremonies in Vegas. Despite the fact that getting married in a place that calls itself Sin City is a little uninspiring, there is something cool about getting married in Vegas. is a little uninspiring, there is something cool about getting married in Vegas. As I've said several times on the show, a traditional wedding can be super duper expensive, and there are lots

of capital-intensive wedding conventions that no one really cares about. As I've said several times on the show, a traditional wedding can be super duper expensive, and there are loads of capital- intensive wedding conventions that no one really cares about, and there are loads of capital-intensive wedding conventions that no one really cares about and that you might not even want anyway. A quick and casual marriage in Vegas says, hey, I'm going to reject all of this pomp and circumstance around this wedding because it's not about the wedding that matters. It's about the marriage. And a marriage license obtained in Nevada is just as legit as a marriage license obtained in any other city. Lots of cool couples have chosen this path. David Harbour and Lily Allen, Joe Jonas and Sophie

Turner, Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos, Frank Sinatra and Mia Farrow, Bette Midler and Martin von Hasselberg, Jason Alexander and Britney Spears have all been married in Vegas. Even if it's only a 55-hour marriage, like in the case of Britney and Jason, who, yes, were married for a total of 55 hours before getting it annulled. Not that those 55 hours didn't apparently mean a whole lot to at least Jason, who was caught trespassing on Britney's property the very same day she was supposed to marry her now husband. That is a topic for a different episode. For today's tip, you can take straight to the bank. For you non-Nevada residents, if Vegas is a potential location for your dream wedding, excellent. I hope I get an invite. Just don't choose Nevada because you think it is the easiest and cheapest place to tie the knot. There is likely to be a place just as cost-effective as Sin City in your state.

Money Rehab is a production of iHeartRadio. I'm your host, Nicole Lappin. Our producers are Morgan Lavoie and Mike Coscarelli. Executive producers are Nikki Etor and Will Pearson. Our mascots are Penny and Mimsy. Huge thanks to OG Money Rehab team, Michelle Lanz for her development work, Catherine Law for her production and writing magic,

and Brandon Dickert for his editing, engineering, and sound design. And as always, thanks to you for finally investing in yourself so that you can get it together and get it all. You spend my money, money, money. in yourself so that you can get it together and get it all.