Melissa Etheridge marries ‘true love’ Linda Wallem

MELISSA Etheridge has tied the knot, marrying fiancee, Linda Wallem, for whom she had a little surprise.

FILE - Melissa Etheridge, left, and Linda Wallem arrive at the 6th Annual Go Go Gala at the Bel Air Bay Club in this Nov. 14, 2013 file photo taken in Pacific Palisades, Calif. People magazine says the 53-year-old Etheridge married partner Linda Wallem at the San Ysidro Ranch in Montecito, California, on Saturday May 31, 2014. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)

MELISSA Etheridge has tied the knot, marrying fiancee, Linda Wallem, over the weekend in California.

The couple said I do at the lavish San Ysidro Ranch in Montecito, just two days after they both turned 53, reports People magazine.

“They were so happy,” a guest told the magazine. “It was really beautiful.”

During the course of the ceremony, Etheridge surprised Wallem (who created the television series, Nurse Jackie), with a new song, which she had written just for her.

“It was such a magical moment,” says the guest, who added that Etheridge wore a grey suit, while Wallem was in a white dress.

Family ... Melissa Etheridge, rear, holds her daughter Bailey, then three, with (from left) Jan Crosby, Beckett, 1, then-partner Julie Cypher, and David Crosby. Etheridge revealed in a press release that Crosby is the biological father of the children.

All four of Etheridge’s children participated in the wedding: Bailey Jean Cypher, 17; Beckett Cypher, 15 (from her previous relationship to actor Julie Cypher); and twins Miller Steven Etheridge and Johnnie Rose Etheridge, 7 (whom she shares with actor ex, Tammy Lynn Michaels).

Stars such as Rosie O’Donnell, Chelsea Handler, Whitney Cummings and Sia helped the pair celebrate. Etheridge met Cypher on the set of her film clip for her song Bring Me Some Water. in 1988. Cypher left her actor husband Lou Diamond Phillips in 1990 to be with Etheridge. The pair split in 2000 with Cypher again questioning her sexuality. Etheridge began dating Michaels in 2002 but split in 2010 and only in 2012 did they settle their child support battle.

Linda and I had a great birthday yesterday. Now, just a little rehearsal for something we will be doing tomorrow...💖 pic.twitter.com/rn3zLyLkbQ

— Melissa Etheridge (@metheridge) May 30, 2014

Sub-type: comment CAPTION: Linda and I had a great birthday yesterday. Now, just a little rehearsal for something we will be doing tomorrow...💖 pic.twitter.com/rn3zLyLkbQ— Melissa Etheridge (@metheridge) May 30, 2014

Etheridge let fans in on the news via Twitter in the days leading up to the ceremony.

“OK, so I might be singing a brand new song that no one has ever heard to someone special at an intimate gathering Saturday… just wanted to share,” she told fans.

The night before the ceremony, she posted a pic of the couple at their rehearsal dinner, while on the day of the wedding, she tweeted: “A gorgeous, perfect, beautiful day to get married.”

Etheridge revealed that she and Wallem became engaged after the US Supreme Court struck down the Defence of Marriage Act in June 2013.

Bitter breakup ... Melissa Etheridge, left and her former partner Tammy Lynn Michaels have two children together but had an acrimonious breakup.

In an interview with CNN, Etheridge said: “It is about family and I love my four kids. I called my now-fiancee. I’m looking forward to marrying my partner of three years.

“I’m going to get married in the state of California. I woke [the kids] up this morning telling them the Supreme Court ruling on DOMA… I love everybody out there. It’s a great day.

“Love is love and America is beautiful,” she added. “It’s just an amazing, amazing day. I’m proud to be an American.”

Etheridge and Wallem first started seeing each other in 2010, with the singer later describing the television producer as “my true love”.

Originally published as Melissa Etheridge marries ‘true love’ Linda Wallem