Portia de Rossi surprised wife Ellen DeGeneres with a twist on the whole surprise wedding trend. As these things generally go, the couple usually surprises unsuspecting guests at a lavish party with their nuptials. In de Rossi’s case, however, it was DeGeneres who was in for a shock.
As People reports, guests including Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Courteney Cox, Orlando Bloom, Katy Perry, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Anniston, Carol Burnett, and Melissa Etheridge all gathered at the couple’s new home for de Rossi’s 50th birthday party.
At some point during the festivities, de Rossi changed into her Zac Posen wedding dress and handed a stunned DeGeneres a bouquet of white roses as Brandi Carlile sang Roberta Flack’s “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.”
Kris Jenner then stepped forward to officiate the renewal of vows, calling the de Rossi-DeGenereses “one of my favorite couples” and “couple goals.”
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“Today, Portia would like us to witness a renewal of her commitment to Ellen,” Jenner said, “To honor and celebrate their marriage of 14 years.” The couple were married in 2008.
“You don’t have to say anything at all,” de Rossi told her wife, “but when I was thinking about what would make my birthday really special, apart from being with family and friends, it was reminding you that you’re the most important thing in the world to me, in front of family and friends.”
She went on to repeat the Walt Whitman quote she used in her 2008 vows, and referenced the staggering 24 different houses the couple has shared over the past 18 years. “This is a new chapter,” she said. “This is our first home and we’re settling down finally.”
Video of the surprise ceremony was posted on The Ellen Show’s official YouTube channel on Thursday.
DeGeneres is certainly entering a new chapter of her career. The out talk show host ended her long-running syndicated show last May, two years after allegations of racism and workplace bullying by DeGeneres on set were reported.
Her reputation took a further hit last year, when out singer Greyson Chance accused DeGeneres of abandoning him after attempting to control his early career.
