What Gwen Stefani, Gavin Rossdale’s Annulment Means For Her Upcoming Wedding To Blake Shelton

Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton announced their engagement late last year and the good news keeps on coming for the newly affianced couple.

Stefani, who divorced her husband Gavin Rossdale shortly before she and Shelton began dating, has been granted an annulment for her prior marriage. Stefani’s quest for an annulment has long been a staple in the tabloids, which is why this latest development is likely a relief for all involved.

The happy news comes about two months after Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani got engaged, and it didn’t come a moment too soon. Stefani, who is a devout Catholic, has been seeking an annulment for her first marriage to Gavin Rossdale for almost two years. The process, however, was slow since a Vatican tribunal had to come to a decision on the matter.

A source told Us Weekly about the news, explaining, “Gwen was told the decision was made by the Vatican tribunal. She will be receiving the notification in writing in the next few weeks, but it’s official.” The lack of annulment was a huge barrier to Stefani’s plans to wed Shelton since her church would not recognize the union without it.

It was a huge relief for Gwen because she wanted to get married by her priest and have the marriage recognized by the Catholic church.

Tabloids have long focused on the lack of annulment to push debunked rumors about Shelton and Stefani’s relationship, and their chances of matrimony. Some of those rumors pushed by disreputable outlets like the National Enquirer insisted Gavin Rossdale was intentionally blocking Stefani’s marriage to Shelton, but that simply wasn’t the case. Now that the matter is behind them, all Stefani and Shelton have to focus on now is the wedding.