Courteney Cox surprised fans when she suddenly announced that she would be remarrying boyfriend Johnny McDaid. But what everyone was interested in was that Jennifer Aniston was not among the bridesmaids! Courteney Cox has spoken up to explain

Hollywood was abuzz this week as Courteney Cox, beloved Friends star and Emmy-nominated actress, made a surprise announcement: she’s remarrying longtime partner Johnny McDaid. The unexpected news delighted fans who have followed the couple’s decade-long relationship, which included a broken engagement in 2015 and a slow but steady reconciliation over the years.

But while the wedding reveal sparked excitement, it was the absence of one particular name from the bridal party that stole the spotlight: Jennifer Aniston.

As soon as Cox posted a photo of herself in a bridal gown surrounded by bridesmaids on Instagram—with Aniston noticeably missing—speculation began to swirl. Given the famously close friendship between the two women, who starred side-by-side on Friends for ten seasons and have remained best friends ever since, fans and media alike began to ask: Where was Jen?

By Tuesday morning, hashtags like #WhereIsJen and #NoAniston began trending on social media, with fans expressing confusion and even disappointment.

“She has to be a bridesmaid, right? She’s Rachel to Courteney’s Monica!” one fan wrote on X (formerly Twitter). Another added, “Is there a rift we don’t know about?”

Cox, 60, took notice of the growing chatter and addressed the rumors directly on Wednesday in a heartfelt statement posted to her Instagram Stories.

“First, I want to thank everyone for the love and support over our wedding news—it means the world,” Cox wrote. “But I also want to clear something up, because I see there’s a lot of noise about Jennifer not being one of my bridesmaids.”

The actress continued, “Jen is like a sister to me. She was one of the first people I called after Johnny and I made the decision to remarry. She’s been nothing but supportive. We both decided—together—that she would attend simply as my guest and friend, not as a bridesmaid. It was about keeping things simple, intimate, and focused on family.”

According to sources close to both actresses, Aniston will still be attending the wedding and is expected to give a toast during the reception—just not as part of the bridal party.

“There’s absolutely no drama,” the source emphasized. “They’re as close as ever. It was Courteney’s decision to have her daughter Coco and a few longtime family friends stand by her side, and Jen was more than happy with that.”

Cox and McDaid, the Snow Patrol musician, have had one of the more enduring and low-key celebrity love stories. After getting engaged in 2014, the couple split in 2015 but remained close. By 2016, they were spotted together again and have since described their relationship as “stronger than ever.” Despite living on separate continents—Cox in Los Angeles and McDaid in the U.K.—they’ve made their romance work.

In a recent interview, Cox described McDaid as “my partner in every way,” adding, “We’ve been through everything, and that’s made this moment all the more meaningful.”

The couple’s upcoming wedding will take place in a private ceremony in Ireland, McDaid’s home country, with a guest list that reportedly includes close friends, family, and a handful of celebrity pals. In addition to Aniston, other expected guests include Lisa Kudrow, Laura Dern, and Ed Sheeran, who is said to have played a role in helping the couple reunite after their breakup.

Despite the initial swirl of headlines, Cox’s direct approach to the Aniston question appears to have satisfied most fans, who have since shifted focus back to celebrating the couple’s happy news.

“True friendship isn’t about titles—it’s about presence,” one commenter posted. “Can’t wait to see photos of Jen dancing at the wedding!”

With the ceremony just weeks away, one thing is certain: this reunion, both romantic and symbolic, is giving fans of Cox—and Friends—something to smile about once again.