So Are Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth Actually Married?: An Investigation

Congrats may be in order for Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth—that is, if the pair really have gotten married in an intimate wedding ceremony, as new photos of them suggest. On Sunday, pictures of Cyrus and Hemsworth seemingly celebrating in a wedding reception emerged, and they couldn’t look happier.

In the photos, which were posted to Instagram Stories by their friend, surfer Conrad Carr, Cyrus and Hemsworth are standing in front of a wedding cake and balloons that read “Mr. and Mrs.” while dressed for the occasion: Cyrus wore a white dress with her shoulders exposed and her hair down in waves, while Hemsworth wore a tuxedo with a floral boutonniere. Holding hands, the pair were surrounded by their friends and family, including Cyrus’ mom Tish, and clutching a knife, about to slice into the cake. In other photos, the groom (?) was celebrating by doing a shot off of a paddle with his brothers Chris and Luke Hemsworth. Neither parties have since confirmed that they are indeed married.

However, Miley’s mom Tish talked about what their wedding would look like if they did get married, last June. While doing so, she revealed that Cyrus and Hemsworth wanted a low-key wedding—even though as the mother of the bride, Tish didn’t want one. “She is not eloping,” Tish said on Mario Lopez’s radio show On With Mario. “She is not getting married. They are so freaking happy and living in Malibu. She’s so happy, and she’s always like, ‘I don’t know why everybody wants us to get married. It’s so perfect… Of course, I probably would [want a big wedding],” she said. “She would never do that, I don’t think. She’s a simple, simple girl.” Of course, it’s totally up to Cyrus and Hemsworth how and whether they get married. For now, we’re just happy they’re living in the moment.

Interestingly, a few months after that Cyrus spoke out about her own intentions, saying that she had no plans to get married any time soon. “I’m 24,” Cyrus told The Sun on Sunday. “I hope I get to live a little bit more. I have too much living to do [before I get married]. Three years ago, if you’d asked me if I’d be here, this happy with this man, I’d have been stunned. I’m just riding this out. In some relationships, you lose yourself by being with someone else. Actually, it made me find myself more. I have no idea what the next three years will bring, but if it’s possible to get even happier, I’ll take it.”

If Hemsworth and Cyrus are indeed married, the break they took in between ending their first engagement in 2013 and reconnecting in 2016 was a necessary step to getting there, as Cyrus has talked about. After they got back together, she said, “I’m so crazy. I have no idea, but I had something in my heart—It never felt like it was really over,” she said. “We kept a great friendship really private.” Miley added that their breakup made them stronger. “It’s good for people to have that space to grow individually. Otherwise, when you’re with someone from 16 until 24, you grow into the same person. We got to become individuals.”