George Clooney is married! Says ‘I do’ to Amal Alamuddin

[dropcap]H[/dropcap]OLLYWOOD heartthrob George Clooney finally uttered the words that he’d long sworn off: “I do.” The Oscar-winning actor exchanged vows Saturday with bright and beautiful bride Amal Alamuddin before an A-list crowd gathered in a storybook setting off a romantic Venice canal. The wedding, in keeping with the couple’s wishes, was ultra-private and confirmed only by a simple one-sentence statement from Clooney’s spokesman. Clooney — who famously declared his marriage aversion after a 1993 divorce — was wed to the human rights lawyer by Walter Veltoni, the former mayor of Rome. The eternally cool Clooney showed no wedding-day jitters as he donned a black tuxedo, white shirt and black tie before boarding a water taxi for the opulent Hotel Aman. The wedding, wrapped in secrecy from the onset, was slated to begin shortly after the gorgeous pink Italian sunset. The “Ocean’s 11” star offered a smile and a wave to hundreds of fans lined along the Grand Canal for a glimpse of the beaming groom. A dozen boats carried the actor and his guests to the former 16th-century palazzo, where his beautiful bride-to-be spent the night after a ladies-only dinner on Friday night. Among those cheering the newlyweds were Bill Murray, Matt Damon, Ellen Barkin, Anna Wintour, John Krasinski, Emily Blunt, Bono and Clooney’s cousin Miguel Ferrer. They were chased by a small armada of photographer-filled boats — but none of the paparazzi managed to get anywhere near the wedding itself. A bemused-looking Clooney rubbed his hands together before ducking inside a tent covering the hotel’s pier — his last public moment as the world’s most eligible bachelor. A short time later, he and Alamuddin were man and wife. “George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin were married today in a private ceremony in Venice, Italy,” said the actor’s spokesman. Guests received a one-page list of the wedding schedule along with a few “do’s” and “don’ts.” Friends and family were also given a phone with a special code to use all weekend, and asked to leave their own phones in the hotel rooms during the ceremony and reception. “We have to work very hard to keep our pictures OUR pictures,” the couple wrote. “If you see someone taking a photo with a phone ... you can help by notifying security.” The reception featured a five-course banquet prepared by renowned chef Riccardo de Pra, according to UsWeekly.com. The Sunday schedule includes 2 p.m. brunch on the lawn behind the Hotel Cipirani for one and all, followed by a dinner at 8 p.m. Clooney, 53, finally acknowledged that he’d met his match by proposing to Alamuddin five months ago. The hunky actor bid farewell to bachelorhood in style: He shared a morning cup of coffee with supermodel Cindy Crawford — and her husband. He even shared a bit of banter with the photographers shadowing his every pre-wedding step. “Is this really happening, George?” one paparazzi shouted at Clooney as the trio exited the terrace at Cipriani. “Yeah, right now,” he yelled back after glancing at his wrist — where he wore no watch. In keeping with tradition and superstition, the bride and groom were kept apart before the nuptials. Alamuddin, 36, never emerged from the Aman. Clooney and some friends enjoyed a small and fairly sedate stag party as the pair went their separate ways on the eve of their wedding. The bride, of Lebanese descent, is a London-based human rights attorney. The couple met through her work; Clooney is among Hollywood’s most politically active performers. It’s the first marriage for Alamuddin. Clooney’s long list of rumored past loves include actresses Kelly Preston, Charlize Theron, Lucy Liu and Renee Zellwegger — and ex-pro wrestler Stacy Keibler. The Hollywood star was also married once, but he and actress Talia Balsam were divorced in 1993 after four years. After dodging marriage for so long, it now seems Clooney is getting hitched twice. A Monday civil ceremony at the Cavalli Palace appears likely. A 150-foot stretch of sidewalk near the palace will be closed for two hours that day.