Usher’s publicity team has really been working overtime the last few weeks. Despite all the drama, he finally wed Tameka Foster in his lawyer’s office a week ago today. It was reported by pretty much every major news source, including the Associated Press and Reuters, that Usher’s mother, Jonetta Patton, attended the civil ceremony. This made it sound like some kind of amends had been made. Jonetta had refused to attend the planned (and then canceled) lavish Hamptons wedding on July 28th, and reports were that Usher flew to Atlanta to make amends with her right after he canceled the affair. So it seemed like all was well and good after all since the one biggest holdout finally assented. However it turns out that’s not true.

“A source close to the family confirms that Usher’s mother and former manager, Jonetta Patton, was a no-show at the ceremony, reportedly held in Usher’s lawyer’s office, and she instead chose to spend the day at a spa in Atlanta. ”As for the rest of Usher’s inner circle, ‘some people didn’t know about [the civil wedding] until a day later,’ says a source. ‘But that’s Usher and Tameka for you. One thing one day and a whole other thing the next.’

“The missing mom could add fuel to the rumor fires circulating after the R&B singer, 28, called off his lavishly planned July 28 Hamptons wedding at the last minute. Other theories for the postponement include a dust-up over wedding details, a pregnant Foster, 37, being reluctant regarding a prenup (she eventually agreed to sign one) and a strained relationship with Patton, who apparently does not get along with her new daughter-in-law.

“Possible points of contention mentioned in the media are that Foster has three children from a previous marriage as well as a 1991 conviction for auto theft. The newlyweds plan to make it up to their whiplashed friends and family by throwing a big bash in Atlanta in a few weeks.”

[From People Magazine]

I hope their PR people get an enormous raise after this whole debacle. I’m talking six figures, absolute minimum. With all the drama and confusion and double talk that went on the last few weeks (and don’t forget that story about Tameka putting a hit on her half sister), you have to give them credit for sticking with it. You just know this marriage is going to go down in a ball of flames.