Fridae

Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge exchanged vows with her girlfriend, actress Tammy Lynn Michaels, in a in a private ceremony in Malibu, California last Saturday, according to media reports.

In a press statement, the couple described their union as a marriage and the ceremony a wedding despite the fact that same-sex weddings are not legally binding in their home state of California where the couple had been living for the past two years.

While the pair will have nominal partnership rights as under California's domestic partnership law, they will have to wait until 2005 for the new bill where they will be granted many of the rights of married heterosexual couples to come into effect.

The new bill, AB205, which was signed by California Governor Gray Davis last Friday will grant registered same-sex couples legal access to family court, community property settlements, alimony, child support requirements and allow people registered as domestic partners to be covered under each other's heath and car insurance plan and other state-level rights and protections that married couples enjoy.

"We are so grateful for the blessings from our friends and family as we commence our vows, and begin the rest of our lives together," the couple said in a statement Sunday.

Other than family and friends, Hollywood`s A-list guests including Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw, Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, Al and Tipper Gore, Jennifer Aniston (Brad Pitt is filming on location), Helen Hunt, Mike Myers, Sally Field, Ellen DeGeneres, Sheryl Crow and Christina Applegate witnessed the ceremony.

The singer was attired in a Badgley Mischka "candlelight pantsuit of a linen jacket with beaded accent and crepe trousers," while Michaels wore a "crystal embellished scalloped trim over a white matte jersey gown" which was also designed by Mischka. The couple exchanged custom-made platinum-and-diamond wedding bands designed by Rafinity.

The pair met two years ago and shortly after, the Popular actress moved into the singer's home in Southern California with the latter's daughter and son.

Etheridge shares custody of the children with her former partner of 12 years, Julie Cypher, after they split up in 2000. The couple had two children, Bailey and Becket, both carried by Cypher, through artificial insemination using a sperm donation from musician David Crosby.

Etheridge will release her as-yet-untitled eighth studio album for Island Records next January while Michaels who is best known for playing high-maintenance princess Nicole Julian on the defunct TV series Popular will be seen in a recurring role in Showtime's lesbian drama series, The L Word, previously known as Earthlings and said to the lesbian answer to Queer as Folk. The show will premiere in January next year.