Ricki Lake Explains Why She Eloped & Sets The Record Straight On Her Kids Missing The Wedding

Ricki Lake said “I do” to Christian Evans earlier this month, and on Monday’s Access Hollywood Live, she explained why the couple eloped.

“During [my stint on] ‘Dancing with the Stars,’ we were trying to get together a wedding list and I started having heart palpitations at the idea of, ‘Ooh, you should invite this one. No, you should invite that one.’ I’m not big on that,” Ricki told Billy Bush and Kit Hoover as she promoted her new book, “Never Say Never: Finding a Life That Fits,” on Monday’s show. “I don’t want to insult people. I also want it to be very much about me and Christian and so, ultimately we decided I don’t need the fanfare on that day, I wanted it to be us saying our vows to each other.”

Ricki said her children were not present at the wedding, but there was no dramatic reason for them not being involved.

“There’s a big sort of thing about my kids not being there. My kids are 15 and 10 years old. They were invited to be there. It was Easter Sunday, they were with their father and we decided we’d have a party with them separate to celebrate,” she explained. “They didn’t care about the vows, they care about the cake.

“They were invited, but knowing my kids, they’re not sentimental, they love this guy,” she continued. “My younger son grabs him by the hand, hangs all over him, hugs him. They really have a bond and he’s a very special guy who’s come into this blended family. He gets along with my ex-husband and he’s a blessing in our lives for sure.”

Ricki documented her journey, from childhood to “Hairspray,” and her career as host of “The Ricki Lake Show,” to becoming a filmmaker with “The Business of Being Born,” in her new book.

“One thing about me and doing my show for 11 years, people know me, I’m very candid. I’m forthcoming about everything in my life, but this is just putting it in sort of a linear [fashion] and people can see the choices that I’ve made and what has got me to where I am today,” she said.

Ricki will also show people where she is when she launches the new “The Ricki Lake Show” this fall.

“This time around, I feel like I have so much more life experience,” she said of what she’s bringing to the new TV talker. “I have so much more to say and I feel like the audience that grew up with me, they trust me. They’re now going through raising their kids, and getting over their first marriage or whatever, the anti-aging and all the stuff we’re trying to keep going in our lives. Hopefully the audience will welcome me back and we’ll be doing the upgraded, evolved ‘Ricki Lake Show.’”