Justin Timberlake weds Jessica Biel

Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel are man and wife after exchanging vows in southern Italy.

The Hollywood couple jetted to Puglia with their wedding party this week (begs15Oct12) and they married in a rustic ceremony on Friday (19Oct12), in front of guests including Justin Timberlake's Saturday Night Live collaborator Andy Samberg, hip-hop producer Timbaland and Jessica Biel's former Seventh Heaven co-star Beverley Mitchell.

Announcing the news in a statement to People.com, the newlyweds say, "It's great to be married, the ceremony was beautiful and it was so special to be surrounded by our family and friends."

The SexyBack hitmaker and actress Jessica Biel kicked off their wedding festivities on Wednesday (17Oct12) by throwing a casual dinner party on Cala Masciola beach.

The seaside event, which was decorated with lanterns, saw guests treated to food and cocktails as they listened to classic tracks including Marvin Gaye's Let's Get It On. The pre-wedding celebration also featured an impressive 10-minute fireworks display.

Photos from the happy couple's big day, which reportedly took place at the Borgo Egnazia resort in the southern Italian city of Fasano, are set to be published in next week's (begs22Oct12) People magazine.

The couple began dating in 2007 and Justin Timberlake proposed to Jessica Biel in December (11), months after reuniting following a brief, three-month split.