Reese Witherspoon declines Jake Gyllenhaal's marriage proposal

Jake popped the question during the couple's recent romantic break to Rome, but Reese - whose divorce from Ryan Philippe was finalized in October - turned him down because she does not want to rush into another union.

A source said: "Reese says it is just too soon after her divorce from Ryan to think about marrying again. She is madly in love with Jake, but her divorce just became final, and she doesn't want to rush into anything."

Jake planned a day filled with romantic gestures before he plucked up the courage to ask Reese to marry him.

The couple - who met on the set of their film Rendition earlier this year - strolled around the Piazza di Spagna, walked up the Spanish Steps and visited the Trinita dei Monti.

They then visited the Piazza Campo di Fiori for an intimate lunch. In the evening, Reese and Jake climbed up the Monte Mario hill, before dinning at the Zodiaco café - where the actor went down on one knee.

However, despite Jake's best romantic efforts, Reese is being cautious for the sake of her two children, eight-year-old Ava and four-year-old Deacon.

The source added to National Enquirer magazine: "Reese wants to take things very slowly because of her two young children. She doesn't want anything to upset or disrupt them. It took her a while to introduce them to Jake - she didn't want them to know they were a couple until they were definitely serious about each other.

"They are madly in love. They really are the perfect couple."

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