LeAnn Rimes and Eddie Cibrian marry in surprise ceremony at their Los Angeles home
By DAILY MAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 7:09 AM on 23rd April 2011
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Country music star LeAnn Rimes married Eddie Cibrian in a surprise wedding ceremony today.
Friends and family of the couple were expecting to attend an engagement party at the the couple's home in California, only to discover the pair were actually tying the knot.
The 28-year-old singer and 37-year-old actor exchanged personalised vows in front of a small party, consisting of just their closest family and friends.
Just married: Country music star LeAnn Rimes married Eddie Cibrian, both pictured here this February, in a surprise ceremony today
Rimes's spokesperson Rhett Usry confirmed the happy news to People magazine.
'LeAnn and Eddie were happily married today surrounded by their closest family and friends,' he told the publication. 'They thank everyone for their well wishes.'
The bride wore a Reem Acra gown as the couple exchanged wedding bands by jeweller Brent Polacheck, who also designed LeAnn's five-carat diamond engagement ring, given to her in December when Cibrian proposed.
Private: The 28-year-old singer and 37-year-old actor, pictured here at the Grammy Awards this year, exchanged personalised vows in front of a small group consisting of just their closest family and friends
The party of 40 people, included Cibrian's sons Mason, seven, and four-year-old Jake, from his previous marriage Brandi Glanville.
The couple met on the set of their film Northern Lights in 2009, but were both married at the time.
They began an extra-marital affair, which later surfaced, leading to Cibrian and his then wife of seven years Glanville, with whom he has two children, to seek divorce.
Rimes also divorced her former husband Dean Sheremet in 2009 after falling in love with her Northern Lights co-star.
Just days ago in an interview with Great American Country channel, Rimes admitted that she ‘knows why’ she cheated on her former husband Sheremet with Cibrian.
Documented: Rimes has documented much of the couple's relationship on Twitter, including this snap of the pair celebrating their engagement in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, last December
She revealed that having an extramarital affair while being married to Sheremet was wrong, but says she didn’t have the tools to deal with their problems the right way.
Rimes said: ‘I know I didn’t do it the right way.
‘I didn’t have the tools to know how to do it the right way, how to let go the right way. I’d never been taught that,’ she said.
'I think I felt really abandoned - I think abandoned is a really good word - because of our divorce.
Ex-husband: Rimes and Cibrian's extra-marital affair lead to the country singer divorcing her former husband Dean Sheremet in 2009. Here the former couple are pictured together in January 2009
Not only that, our divorce became so much bigger because it was so publicised.'
In the interview, Rimes said she had learned from her mistakes.
‘I have the strength [now] but I didn’t at the time… So, it got really messy, but I have learned a lot from that.
‘And I’m not glad it happened, but I know why it did.’
Split: Cibrian also divorced his then wife of seven years, Brandi Glanville, with whom he has two children. Here the couple are pictured in 2006
She went on to vent her anger about the ‘double standard’ within the country music business, saying that it seems to be more acceptable for men to cheat.
[Country music] has such a double standard. You know, Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash and all these guys.
‘God knows what they did back in the day? And if a woman did it, you never were accepted or forgiven.
Speaking out: Just days ago in an interview with Great American Country channel, Rimes admitted that she ‘knows why’ she cheated on her former husband Sheremet with Cibrian
‘But if it was a guy, it was just their life… It’s quite interesting to have to navigate those waters as a woman in this business.’
The singer spoke out about the affair scandal last year too, saying she understood why people were disappointed in her.
She told Shape Magazine: ‘I’m sure some people are thinking that I was totally selfish, but the truth is, there are times in your life when you have to be selfish in order to find out what truly makes you happy.’
Sparks: Rimes and Cibrian met on the set of their 2009 film Northern Lights
She then said of her marriage with Sheremet: ‘My relationship with Dean was great, but ultimately it wasn’t a fulfilling marriage for either of us.
‘We got married so young. I was 19 and he was 21, so as we got older, we grew apart.’
Daily Mail