WOW NEWS

By Beatrice Davis and Joshua Weaver

Singer-actress Katharine McPhee married producer Nick Cokas on Saturday in Beverly Hills, her rep Justin Gray Stone confirms exclusively to PEOPLE.

The 23-year-old American Idol season five runner-up and Cokas, 42, exchanged vows in a late afternoon ceremony at Beverly Hills Presbyterian Church.

"(Nick) is the love of my life," McPhee gushed to PEOPLE. "This is a once in a lifetime occasion and everything is just perfect."

McPhee wore a strapless ivory Manuel Mota gown and Neil Lane jewels (diamond and platinum chandelier earrings and diamond and platinum bracelets), while Cokas wore an Armani tuxedo. Fellow season five Idol contestants Kellie Pickler and Mandisa were among the 305 guests on hand for the nuptials.

McPhee and Cokas met in 2005 when they performed in a Los Angeles theater production of The Ghost and Mrs. Muir. Their union began as a friendship and blossomed when McPhee auditioned for American Idol later that year.

The two quietly got engaged last year when Cokas presented her with a custom-designed round brilliant cut platinum and diamond engagement ring.

McPhee recently wrapped filming the Anna Faris comedy I Know What Boys Like.

Finally the writers strike is over, with the Oscars approaching the show will be the usual star- studded, fashion extravaganza. The 80^th annual awards show will be held Feb 24^th at the Kodak Theater and will feature, of course the hottest stars of today, and yesterday. The organizers had been planning for a “B” show which would have consisted mainly of musical performances and old film clips. Now with the strike ending the show will go on has planned, organizers stated that they are working 13 to 14 hour days, now planning for both the “A” and ” B”.

A 27 year old former college student of Northern Illinois University gunned down six students this week in a suicidal rampage. It’s said the student was on medication, and had stopped taking his medication prior to the incident. However, there is no known reason for the shooting and family and friends state that the young man did not appear suicidal. Witnesses said the gunman, dressed in black and wearing a stocking cap, emerged from behind a screen on the stage of 200-seat Cole Hall and opened fire just as the class was about to end around 3 p.m. Officials said 162 students were registered for the class but it was unknown how many were there Thursday. 6 people died, including the gunman, died on the scene, the rest were rushed to hospital. More than a hundred students cried and hugged as they gathered outside the Phi Kappa Alpha house early Friday to remember one of the victims, Dan Parmenter. Flowers, candles and small notes were left in the snow near Cole Hall.