Jennifer Lopez kicks off lavish 55th birthday party without Ben Affleck amid divorce rumors

Jennifer Lopez is gearing up to celebrate her 55th birthday - without her estranged husband, Ben Affleck .

Earlier this week, the couple - who are rumored to be on the brink of divorce - spent their second wedding anniversary apart , with J-Lo holidaying on the East Coast while Ben stayed in Los Angeles. And as preparations for the On The Floor singer’s birthday bash in the Hamptons went underway yesterday, the Gone Girl star was nowhere to be seen - despite reports that the duo’s respective children have been trying to help them repair their marriage .

J-Lo, who turns 55 on Wednesday, seemed keen to put the relationship drama to the back of her mind as she got everything ready for her party. Posting a trio of grinning selfies on Instagram , the star wrote in the caption: “Today is gonna be a great day,” with a praying hands emoji, adding: “Happy Saturday everybody.”

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The Hustlers star is clearly going all out for the lavish occasion. New pictures showed a horse-drawn carriage and large vans full of both flowers and luxury furniture arriving at her party venue. Numerous members of staff dressed in all black were also spotted overseeing the on-site arrangements.

J-Lo will be looking to take her mind off her ongoing marital woes. She has not been pictured with Ben since June 5 and last week, the duo - whose rollercoaster relationship first began back in 2022 - put their $68million Beverly Hills mansion up for sale.

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According to insiders, the couple’s kids are doing everything they can to save Bennifer. Their blended family consists of five kids; Violet, 18, Fin, 15, and Samuel 12 - whom Ben co-parents with his ex-wife Jennifer Garner - and 16-year-old twins Max and Emme - whom J-Lo shares with her ex-husband Marc Anthony.

One source close to the family explained that the children believe there is still hope for the couple. They said: “The kids think Jennifer and Ben are really, deeply in love, like soul mates and they don't want them to divorce. They want them to work it out for better or for worse, like their vows said.”

Adding that the kids had been hoping Ben and J-Lo would be able to patch things up before the popstar’s 55th birthday, they continued to the Daily Mail : “And they do feel that the two should continue counselling and talking it out, even if it is painful. They feel like if they do and say the right things that there could be more peace.”