Brad and Angelina married once in US, again in France

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have managed to keep two wedding ceremonies secret, it was revealed yesterday.

The movie stars, who have been together for a decade, tied the knot in the romantic setting of a chapel at Chateau Miraval, their home in France, last Saturday.

Their spokesman said the two were married "under California law" and a California judge was flown to France to conduct the ceremony.

However, under guidelines issued in California, for a marriage licence to be valid the couple "must be married in California".

A marriage performed in France by a California judge would not qualify, apparently.

That suggests the couple had a previous civil ceremony in California. A register office source in California said couples intending to have a romantic ceremony abroad had a civil marriage performed in the state before they left.

To get their California marriage licence, Pitt and Jolie would have been required to appear together at a county clerk's office, where they would have paid a fee of less than US$100 ($120).

The law requires one witness at a ceremony, which can be held anywhere within the borders of the state.

In Los Angeles, it is also possible to opt for a "confidential marriage licence", which requires no witnesses.