July 30, 2007

So just what led Usher and Tameka Foster to torpedo their plans to pledge to love one another until the cold clammy hand of death parts them? Speculation on the stork-awaiting twosome's abrupt cancellation of their extravagant, Hamptons-set wedding on Saturday has run the gamut from family objections to cold feet to fights over food to tabloid fodder. Here's a rundown:

"Usher's mother [Jonetta Patton] is against the wedding," a source tells People. "That is one of the main obstacles."

Patton, you'll recall, was the crooner's manager until May, when he gave her the boot, allegedly with a nudge from Foster, a stylist and divorced mother of three.

"Jonetta was invited to the wedding at the last minute, but she didn't want to go," an insider tattles to the New York Daily News. "She's not a hypocrite. As much as she loves her son, she's not going to pretend that everything's fine."

On Sunday, Usher made a beeline to Atlanta, ostensibly to smooth things over with his miffed mom (Foster is also in town)

"The reason he called off the ceremony is that he couldn't go through with it without Jonetta," a spy tells the paper. "He had an 11th-hour epiphany."

Another theory posited by some of the estimated 100 invited guests: The Grammy winner might have been troubled by Foster's long-ago run-in with the law, which was recently uncovered by the National Enquirer.

People magazine, meanwhile, throws out several possibilities for the vacated vow-swap, including the groom's frozen tootsies ("Usher changed his mind," says a snitch) and the couple's inability to agree on the appropriate menu to commemorate their eternal love.

Usher, 28, and Foster, 37, "had a lot of differences about the details," explains the mole. "For example, the bride wanted barbecue, [and] he wanted to have [renowned chef] Jean Georges cook."

Whatever the problems, the result was the ceremony, which was reportedly going to be witnessed by the likes of Beyoncé and Jay-Z, "was on again, off again for the past few days," according to the insider. "[Foster] was calling it off because she wasn't getting the things that she wanted. The mother was calling it off ... Usher was calling it off."

Eventually, the indecision appears to have gotten the better of the chart-topper.

"Usher woke up on Saturday and said he couldn't go through with it," a confidante recounts to the Daily News. "Apparently, he also couldn't bring himself to call all the people who were invited. He had the wedding planner call everyone in the wedding party."

Foster's reaction? "She was marching around, cursing," says an eyewitness.

On Monday, however, she dismissed the many rumors, telling People, "No one knows why we canceled the wedding, but I can tell you that all of the reasons that everyone is speculating and writing about are completely untrue."

According to Usher, the wedding is still a go, but he's vague on details. "As of right now we don't have a date," he explains to Us Weekly, "but we will let you know when we do."

The wavering pair purportedly made up their minds only two weeks ago to throw a wedding because "they wanted to have it take place before the baby bump started showing," says an insider.

Speaking of the bun in the oven, Foster, who is said to be due in the fall, confirmed that she briefly checked into the hospital after the nixed nuptials due to pregnancy complications.

"We had a scare," she reveals to People. "But, I am fine and the baby is fine."

As of Monday, their gift registries at Crate and Barrel and Williams-Sonoma were still available, with the would-be bride and groom requesting everything from a metal whisk for $6.95 to an espresso machine for $3,659 (one guest kvetched to Life & Style that the idea of the moneybags musician soliciting household items was "tacky").

Earlier this month, Usher felt it necessary to release a statement denouncing rumors that Foster was calling the shots in the relationship, insisting to People, "I am happy, excited, completely clear and independent on my direction, feelings, decisions, and I am NOT BEING LED."

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