Supermodel Gisele Bündchen and her new husband, jiu-jitsu instructor Joaquim Valente, have been photographed together for the first time since their secret wedding last month. The newlyweds were seen looking relaxed and deeply content during a casual outing, marking their inaugural public appearance as a married couple.
The Intimate Backyard Ceremony
According to a marriage licence viewed by the Daily Mail, the legal paperwork was issued on 1 December, with the pair exchanging vows in a simple ceremony at their home in Surfside, Florida, just two days later on 3 December. Sources confirmed to Entertainment Tonight that the event was intentionally small, attended only by close family. This included Bündchen's two older children from her previous marriage to Tom Brady – Benjamin, 16, and Vivian, 14 – as well as the couple's own 10-month-old son.
An insider described the occasion as "simple and beautiful," while another source emphasised Bündchen's desire for privacy. "Gisele is tired of all of the attention on her private life," the source told People. "She just wants to do things her own way — and a small, private non-event was what she wanted."
A Year of Profound Transformation
The sighting comes just days after Bündchen closed out 2025 with an emotional Instagram reflection. Her post chronicled a year of immense personal change, featuring never-before-seen photos that captured her pregnancy, early days with her newborn, and tender moments with Valente. "As 2025 comes to an end, my heart is full," she wrote. "This year brought deep lessons and profound growth. Becoming a mother again reshaped everything - my time, my priorities, my heart."
The candid images included sunset silhouettes of Bündchen cradling her baby bump and affectionate shots of Valente with his hands on her stomach. The couple welcomed their baby boy on 5 February 2025. While his first name remains private, it is believed his middle name is River.
Foundations of Friendship and Future Happiness
Friends say this quieter chapter reflects a profound shift for Bündchen following her 2022 divorce from American football star Tom Brady. "She is the happiest she's been in a long time," a source told ET. "She is so in love and happy. Gisele has said Joaquim is her soulmate and best friend."
Bündchen herself has spoken about the unique foundation of her romance with Valente, which evolved from a longstanding friendship. In a March 2024 interview with The New York Times, she explained, "This is the first time I am seeing someone that was a friend of mine first. It's very different. It is very honest, and it's very transparent." She has been clear that the relationship began only after her marriage to Brady had ended, with the pair starting to date in June 2023.
Insiders describe Bündchen as being in an "enviable position," with her life now centred on family. "Her life is filled with her kids, her loving family and work, but it is more manageable," one told People. "She is happy being married again, happy being a mom and happy in her environment."
