MELISSA ETHERIDGE is FINALLY legally married for the first time, but friends fear the singer’s past relationships could doom her “happily ever after” with new bride Linda Wallem.
The couple, who both just turned 53, wed May 31 in an intimate outdoor ceremony at the San Ysidro Ranch in Montecito, Calif. Although Melissa has been involved in two prior long-term lesbian romances, this is the first time her relationship has been legally sanctioned.
“They’re a beautiful couple,” said one insider, “but I just have this awful feeling that ‘what goes around comes around.’”
The ENQUIRER was the first to report Melissa’s relationship with Linda, a Hollywood writer and producer, in January 2011 – and we also broke the news that the two were headed down the aisle.
Linda had been good friends with both Melissa and her ex-partner, Tammy Lynn Michaels, star of Showtime’s drama “The L Word” – and even served as “best man” at Tammy and Melissa’s unsanctioned wedding ceremony in 2003.
“There’s no end of the bad feelings here,” said the insider. “Tammy’s tangled up with both of them and I think that will surely haunt their new marriage. I just hope it can survive the strain.”
Melissa and Tammy have 7-year-old twins, Miller and Johnnie Rose, together. Tammy was fertilized by an unidentified donor and gave birth to them.
But as The ENQUIRER reported in 2011, Tammy suspected Melissa was cheating on her when they broke up – and the split got REALLY nasty after Tammy sued Melissa for increased support.
Tammy had claimed in court papers she was barely scraping by on the $23,000 a month Melissa was giving her and argued the Grammy winner could afford to pay more since she was making a mammoth $177,882 per month.
And things went from bad to worse after it emerged that Tammy had accidentally burned Miller with a cigarette. Melissa brought up the incident while fighting Tammy’s demands for increased payments in court, and last year a judge upheld their original agreement.
“I hope Melissa can put the past to rest and move on, but I’m afraid it’s not going to be easy,” said the insider.
For her wedding to Linda, Melissa wore a gray suit and was accompanied down the aisle by her children Bailey, 17, and Beckett, 15, from her relationship with Julie Cypher. Linda wore a gown by designer Theia.
Melissa serenaded her bride with a song written especially for her. Guests included Rosie O’Donnell, Chelsea Handler, Peter Facinelli and Jane Lynch.
The “Come to My Window” singer tweeted a photo of herself and her bride the morning after with the caption: “True love…so blessed,” as well as a reference to the legalization of gay marriage in California.
The pair then headed off to a secret honeymoon destination.
