Rome, Sep 28 (IANS): Actor George Clooney and human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin are now husband and wife.

"George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin were married today (Saturday) in a private ceremony in Venice, Italy," the actor's representative said in a statement, reports people.com.

The two were married by Walter Veltroni, former mayor of Rome.

The much-anticipated wedding, attended by families and celebrities like Matt Damon and John Krasinski, follows a series of celebratory events leading up to Saturday's nuptials.

At sunset on Saturday, crowds cheered along Venice's Grand Canal as Clooney and his guests boated to the Aman hotel.

Clooney and Alamuddin were first spotted stepping out together in London last October and since then they've embarked on a series of globe-trotting travels, including a trip to Tanzania in March and a getaway to the Seychelles.

Clooney was earlier married to actress Talia Balsam from 1989 to 1993.