George Clooney has married beautiful British barrister Amal Alamuddin. With the romantic city of Venice as the backdrop, the ceremony could have been a scene from one of the groom's Oscar-winning movies. A roll call of famous guests including Matt Damon and his wife Luciana, Cindy Crawford and her husband Rande Gerber and actor John Krasinski and his wife Emily Blunt added to that effect.
The groom's spokesperson confirmed to HELLO! Online: "George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin were married today (Sept. 27) in a private ceremony in Venice, Italy."
George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin married on Saturday
George's close friend Walter Veltroni, the former mayor of Rome, officiated the sunset ceremony at the seven-star Aman Canal Grande hotel in the Palazzo Papadopoli.
Prior to the nuptials, a flotilla of vintage water taxis was seen driving George and his A-list guests to the venue. The actor, who looked dapper in Armani, couldn't contain his excitement as he waved to crowds who stood alongside the canal, cheering him on in his last journey as a single man.
Following the ceremony in the 450-year-old waterside venue, the wedding party was treated to champagne and canapés.
The celebration is expected to continue with a lavish lunch on Sunday and an official civil service ceremony on Monday.
The evening before their big day, George, 53, and Amal, 36, are understood to have held a rehearsal dinner for close friends and family at the city's five-star Belmond Hotel Cipriani.George quiz: How much do you know about the heartthrob?Italy has long been a second home to the Hollywood superstar, who has a £25million holiday property three-and-a-half hours away from Venice on Lake Como. Villa Oleandra, a 30-room, 18th-century manor house in the sleepy town of Laglio was used by the bride and groom as a base to plan their nuptials along with their parents. In June, Amal's mother Baria Alamuddin, a respected journalist, was seen beaming as she spent time with her daughter and future son-in-law. The silver fox's mother Nina, who has praised Amal as a "brilliant, bright woman who is at the very top of her career," also visited.
George swept the Oxford-educated legal eagle off her feet at the end of last year after they met at a charity event. By April Amal, who is of Lebanese origin, was sporting an exquisite 7ct emerald-cut diamond, worth £445,000 on her ring finger.The lawyer is renowned for her work on human rights, having represented WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.
She is also an advisor to former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.
Meanwhile, the actor was for six years a UN Messenger of Peace, travelling to Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo to promote the organisation's work.
Amal was immediately embraced by his wide circle of celebrity friends including Cindy and Rande. Julia Roberts described her friend's engagement as "sublime".