The Unexpected Way Jennifer Lopez Contributed to Derek Hough and Hayley Erbert’s Wedding Plans

Jennifer Lopez’s role as a wedding planner is not just confined to the big screen; she also lent her expertise to Derek Hough and Hayley Erbert’s wedding planning process. Hough, a fellow judge with Lopez on World of Dance, revealed that he sought her input and guidance while organizing his own wedding. The Dancing With the Stars judge revealed that he would share ideas with Lopez and valued her opinion during the planning stages. Hough and Erbert exchanged vows in a dreamy ceremony held in the redwood forests of Northern California in August 2023.

Despite Erbert’s absence from the premiere of This Is Me… Now: A Love Story due to her recovery from cranial hematoma, Hough facilitated updates on her improving condition after undergoing skull surgery. Hough shared, "It was great, I kind of got a free wedding planner out of it, too." He recalled asking Lopez, "What do you think about this?" Lopez validated, "Oh, that's nice!"

As per E! News, Hough’s decision to propose to Erbert was influenced by several factors, one being Lopez’s relationship history. The dancer recalled, "I remember seeing her, and I was like, 'Yo if she can get two [engagements] within the time that I've been with [Erbert] I better step up my game.'" Moreover, Hough realized it was time to take the next step in his relationship with Herbert. He shared, "I introduced Hayley as my girlfriend and I kinda stopped myself and was like, 'This feels wrong. That word does not live up to what this relationship is.' That was a good indication of like, 'OK, I think it’s time to go to the next step.'"

Lopez shared her excitement over Hough’s engagement, commenting on his announcement post with congratulations. Hough was elated with the support and shared, "It was awesome hearing from everybody and the support and the love. It’s great."

As per ET, planning the proposal proved to be a daunting yet rewarding task for Hough, especially given Erbert’s knack for avoiding surprises. Hough shared, "That was like a covert operation. We're actually making a little video right now that we're gonna post soon showing how it went down." He further added, "We don’t want a long engagement. We’ve been together long enough." Hough shared his excitement and remarked, "It's gonna be a festival. I’m just gonna tell you right now, it's gonna be like a concert because we have some really talented friends. I don't know if we wanna do a wedding dance. Maybe we'll do a little something side to side, but nothing elaborate, because we dance every day... We're like, 'This is our night. You all perform for us.'"

Despite the joyous occasion of his engagement, Hough had to make adjustments to his Vegas residency at The Venetian Resort, where he is performing until September 10. He humorously mentioned, "There's one bit in there where I used to joke around about proposing, but I actually did propose, so we had to switch that part around a little bit. I do joke [where I say], 'I had to come back to do 12 weeks here in Vegas to pay for the ring 'cause it’s a beauty.'" Nonetheless, Hough is thrilled about the performances, he shared, "It’s amazing. The energy and the excitement that we create in this small room are fantastic. That's what I love about this room too, is it's so intimate. I feel like the audience really [feels like] a part of the show. I’m so thankful. I never take it for granted. I hope to share that passion, share that energy every single night on the stage."