Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel wed! Couple say it's 'great to be married' as they gush about '$6.5million wedding'

Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel are officially married.
The couple confirmed the news on Friday in a statement, following days of mounting speculation about their nuptials.
Justin and Jessica said their I dos in a rustic Italian ceremony in front of close friends and family.

The happy couple: Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake, pictured in New York in May, have married, it was confirmed on Friday. The Hollywood couple said their I dos in a rustic ceremony in Italy

Their statement to People.com read: 'It's great to be married, the ceremony was beautiful and it was so special to be surrounded by our family and friends.'
The Hollywood couple even kept their guests in the dark about exactly when the wedding would take place after flying them out to Southern Italy for a week-long celebration, estimated to have cost the couple $6.5million.
 

Justin, 31, and Jessica, 30, had been dating for five years.

Preparations: Justin was spotted enjoying pre-wedding drinks with a group of guests on Wednesday night in Brindisi, Italy

Eat, drink and be merry! The guests were kept fed and watered with canapes and drinks at pre-wedding celebrations earlier in the week

He proposed in Big Sky Montana with a custom-designed ring in December last year.
Although they have been tight-lipped about their plans, the Alpha Dog star recently reminisced about when he asked his fiancée on their first date.
That was back in 2007 - after Timberlake got her details from a friend.

Celebration: Timberlake's Saturday Night Live friend Andy Samberg was one of the famous faces enjoying a welcome drink on Wednesday before the firework display

Jetted over: Samberg is one of several friends and family said to be flown to Italy by private jet from New York  City

The night of a thousand stars: The guests drank and chatted as the night went on, standing next to giant lanterns

'I did it the old fashion way - by telephone. That’s something I learned from both my stepdad and my grandfather - that there is a thing called chivalry and it doesn’t have to die with the birth of the internet.
'The way I see it, if you’re asking a girl out on a date, it’s only right to do it in a way that she can hear your voice.'

But because he was a big name popstar at the time, not to mention a former Mouseketeer, it was not an easy sell.

Location location location: Interior photographs of the château which is said to be where the nuptials took place

Picturesque: Justin and Jessica are said to have chosen the southern Italy location as it 'means a lot to both of them'

In the country: The grounds of the venue featured beds and cushions dotted around 

The SexyBack singer admitted: 'I had to be pretty persistent in order to get her to say yes.
'But I have a fair amount of tenacity and if I want something I stick to it. And in the end she agreed.'
He also said that their most important quality as a couple is their willingness to work hard on their relationship.

Into the wild: The extensive grounds appear to feature donkeys, a ramshackle stable and log fences

Traditional country mood: The wedding venue seemed a far cry from the more salubrious venues the couple are used to

He said: 'Some days are better than other days for all of us - and if we have our good days and bad days individually, and then we’re dealing with someone else’s good and bad days on top of that, it’s going to add up.
'But what I have learned from my stepdad is something as important, which is patience and compassion.
'Because when you are living with someone else, those two qualities go a long way.'
The marriage is the first for both stars.

Italian feast: Guests are reported to have enjoyed a picnic consisting of traditional cuisine

All dressed up and somewhere to go? Several people in the grounds were spotted dressed up in traditional Italian costume

Old fashioned fun: Men dressed in country costume carry baskets of must through the rustic grounds

Timberlake formerly dated Britney Spears for three years, ending their union abruptly in 2002.
Other high-profile relationships included Cameron Diaz. The couple confirmed their split in January 2007 in a joint statement after four years together.
The singer-turned actor began dating Biel soon after.
They split in March 2011, but reunited months later - shortly before his December proposal.
Jessica previously dated Hollywood actor and Celular co-star Chris Evans.
She was also linked to U.S. baseball star Derek Jeter shortly before she started romancing Timberlake.

Former flames: Justin's exes Britney Spears, and Cameron Diaz,were seen out and about in Los Angeles on Thursday and Friday, respectively