Ellen DeGeneres legally wed her Geelong-born girlfriend, Portia de Rossi, on Saturday night, according to media reports.
However, the happy couple will be 'just friends' when visiting Australia, activists have warned.
Australian Marriage Equality spokesperson Peter Furness congratulated the showbiz stars and said it is shameful the Australian Government will not recognise their legal status as a married couple.
"Every time DeGeneres and de Rossi visit de Rossi's family in Australia, their rights, protections and status as a married couple will cease to exist," Furness said in a statement.
"It is shameful that Portia de Rossi's solemn marriage vows are dishonoured in this way by the government of her home country."
About 19 guests, including de Rossi's mother, Margaret Rogers, and DeGeneres' mother, Betty, attended an "intimate ceremony" at the couple's Hollywood home, according to People.com.
Rogers flew from Australia to attend the wedding.
On Saturday, the New York Post quoted 'an insider' saying the nuptials were "definitely happening".
"Portia is wearing a flowing, form-fitting dress by Zach Posen," the Post reported.
DeGeneres, 50, and de Rossi, 35, announced their plan to wed in May after the California Supreme Court overruled the state's ban on same-sex marriage.
"It's something that we've wanted to do and we want it to be legal and we are very, very excited," DeGeneres said at the time.
"I think someday people will look back on this like women not having the right to vote and segregation and anything else that seems ridiculous that we don't all have the same rights," she added.
The Emma Award-winning TV talk show host also said she would broadcast a "tiny bit" of the ceremony on her program.
De Rossi was born in Geelong in 1973 as Amanda Rogers. She changed her name at 15.
"In retrospect, I think it was largely due to my struggle about being gay," De Rossi told The Advocate.
"Everything just didn’t fit, and I was trying to find things I could identify myself with, and it started with my name.
"I picked Portia because I was a Shakespeare fan … [and] De Rossi because I was Australian and I thought that an exotic Italian name would somehow suit me more than Amanda Rogers.
"When you live in Australia, Europe is so far away and so fascinating, so stylish and cultured and sophisticated," she said.
De Rossi was previously married to documentary filmmaker Mel Metcalfe for two years and later quietly dated Ring Starr's step-daughter to Barbara Bach, Francesca Gregarine.
She came out publicly in 2005, a year after meeting DeGeneres.
Ellen DeGeneres legally wed her Geelong-born girlfriend, Portia de Rossi, on Saturday night, according to media reports.
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