By Jessica Wedemeyer
3:00am PDT, Aug 23, 2023
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During an interview with Vogue that debuted online on Aug. 4, 2023 — their first wedding anniversary — Rita Ora and Taika Waititi cleared up long-standing rumors about their mid-2022 nuptials: Back in August 2022, The Sun broke the news that the pop star and the Oscar winner had tied the knot — though the British tabloid reported at the time that they wed in London in "a really intimate ceremony" that was "super special for everyone there."
"Their nearest and dearest can see how madly in love they are. Despite living in the spotlight, Rita is determined to keep the relationship as private as possible and didn't want to make a big song and dance about the wedding. A big, showbiz-style bash is planned to celebrate, but don't expect to see it being flogged to the highest-bidding magazine," a source said.
While the alleged insider got some things right — it does appear that Rita and Taika are "madly in love" — other details couldn't have been further from the truth.
Keep reading to see what went down…
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Rita Ora and Taika Waititi told Vogue in an interview that hit the Internet on Aug. 4, 2023 — their first wedding anniversary — that they actually tied the knot at their home in Los Angeles.
"It wasn't in London or in France like everyone reported. It was [at our home] in L.A. with a small group of friends," said the actor-filmmaker, who won an Oscar in 2020 for writing "Jojo Rabbit."
Vogue published photos from the intimate ceremony that showed the happy couple posing outdoors at their home in Los Angeles, which has killer views of the Hollywood Sign.
MORE: Celeb weddings of 2023
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In early June 2022, The Sun reported that, although there was no formal proposal, Rita Ora and Taika Waititi had gotten engaged: "There's no ring or big build-up. They just got closer and closer and eventually said to each other almost simultaneously, 'I want to marry you,'" a source said.
Wrong again! Taika told Vogue that it was actually Rita who proposed to him: "She proposed to me, and I said yes instantly," he recalled, adding that the pop star popped the question during a vacation in Palm Springs just a few weeks before they tied the knot.
MORE: Celeb engagements of 2023
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Rita Ora and Taika Waititi — who first met in 2018 when the pop star attended a barbecue at the actor-filmmaker home in Los Angeles — exchanged vows in front of just eight close friends and family members including Rita's sister, who walked her down the aisle, Taika's two daughters with his first wife, Oscar-nominated producer Chelsea Winstanley, and his best friend and frequent collaborator Jemaine Clement, who traveled from New Zealand for the last-minute ceremony.
"I can't believe it's been a year. It feels like nothing's changed since the day I met him at the barbecue. It just feels so good to be with my best friend," the singer gushed to Vogue.
Rita and Taika started dating in 2021 while they were both in Australia for work.
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"It's actually been quite entertaining for us to see the different stories people made up and all the while getting to keep it to ourselves. And I love that we now get to share what really happened — and to do it on our one-year anniversary, no less!" Rita Ora told Vogue.
As for their real nuptials… "I felt really peaceful actually. It was almost like another day. We just all dressed up and got married," she said.
Chimed in her husband, Taika Waititi, "Yeah, it was beautiful. Just having close friends and not having it too big. We didn't have table settings or any of the stressful things that go along with weddings, and it was nice to just have it super-simple. My daughters were there, and they made everything really fun and easy: I think just because we didn't have the pressure of having caterers and all of these things, you know, people turning up late, and all of the different moving parts."
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After the ceremony — during which Rita Ora donned a Tom Ford gown, a veil and Lorraine Schwartz jewels — she and Taika Waititi celebrated their new marriage with a dinner party at Guy Oseary's home. "He was so kind to host us at the last minute. We got a group of people together, and we just had a great time!" the pop star told Vogue.
An Elvis impersonator performed during the party — a surprise wedding gift from one of the couple's friends.
Rita later changed into two more Tom Ford looks: a long-sleeve dress with a high neckline and an oversized keyhole cutout and slacks with a long-sleeve, tie-front blouse that exposed her undergarments.
