A copy of the marriage licence application. (Reuters)

Los Angeles, Jan. 5 (Reuters): Pop star Britney Spears made arrangements to annul her Las Vegas marriage to childhood friend Jason Allen Alexander just hours after the two were wed in a chapel there on Saturday, friends and relatives said yesterday.

George Maloof Jr., owner of the Palms Casino and Hotel, where Spears was staying over the New Year’s Eve holiday and weekend, confirmed Spears and Alexander, both 22, were wed around 1300 GMT on Saturday at a Las Vegas wedding chapel. He declined further comment.

However, a friend of Spears who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that by late Saturday afternoon, all the annulment papers had been signed by both Spears and Alexander in the presence of an attorney, a notary public, Spears’ brother Brian, her manager Larry Rudolph and Maloof.

The annulment papers were expected to be filed when the courts open today, the friend said.

Alexander’s grandmother, Betty Alexander, also confirmed the marriage and annulment. “Yes, they got married and they are in the process of getting it annulled,” she said by phone from Alexander’s hometown of Kentwood, Louisiana.

There were apparently no hard feelings. Shortly after the annulment papers were signed, the couple on Saturday night had dinner at the N9NE Steakhouse at the Palms Casino and Hotel.

On Saturday morning, Spears was escorted down the aisle at the Little White Wedding Chapel in the city known for quickie marriages — and divorces — by a Palms Casino Hotel bellman, who doubled as the couple’s limousine driver for their impromptu nuptials, Spears’ friend said. The only people who witnessed the wedding were the chapel’s minister, a photographer and the bellman. The wedding ceremony was videotaped, but no video has so far been released.