Supermodel Gisele Bündchen has quietly entered a new chapter of her life.
The 45-year-old fashion icon secretly married Joaquim Valente, her longtime partner and former Brazilian jiu-jitsu instructor, in an intimate ceremony at their Surfside, Florida home on December 3, 2024.
According to a marriage license obtained by the Daily Mail, the license was issued just two days prior on December 1.
The private nuptials mark Bündchen’s second marriage and come just months after the couple welcomed their first child together—a baby boy born in February 2025.
From Instructor to Life Partner
Bündchen and Valente’s relationship began in an unexpected way back in December 2021.
At the time, she was still married to NFL legend Tom Brady and looking for activities to share with her children. That’s when her family began training at the Valente Brothers jiu-jitsu academy, where Joaquim worked as an instructor.
What started as a professional relationship slowly evolved into something deeper, though not until after Bündchen’s marriage to Brady officially ended in October 2022.
By June 2023, reports surfaced that the Brazilian model was dating her former instructor. However, the couple kept things remarkably private, not confirming their romance publicly until February 2024.
A Foundation Built on Friendship
When Bündchen finally opened up about her relationship in March 2024, she emphasized what made this partnership different from her previous marriage.
Speaking to the New York Times while promoting her cookbook Nourish, she shared insight into the nature of their connection.
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 was also firm about the timeline, making clear that their romantic relationship didn’t begin until after her divorce was finalized.
That friendship-first foundation appears to have created something lasting, as the couple moved quickly from confirming their relationship to expanding their family and now making their commitment official.
An Intimate Ceremony with Family Present
While the December wedding was kept largely under wraps, sources told TMZ that it wasn’t completely secret.
Some family members were reportedly invited to witness the at-home ceremony. A source told Page Six that Valente “is thrilled they finally tied the knot after having a kid together.”
Shortly after the wedding, Bündchen traveled to Brazil—the country where both she and Valente were born—to attend a Vivara jewelry event in São Paulo on Thursday.
Interestingly, she wore a dress with extraordinarily long sleeves that completely covered her left hand, making it impossible to see whether she was sporting a wedding ring.
Growing Family and Meaningful Names
The couple’s baby boy arrived on February 5, 2025, just weeks before their secret wedding became public knowledge.
While Bündchen and Valente haven’t publicly revealed their son’s first name, People magazine reported that his middle name is allegedly “River.”
If true, this would continue Bündchen’s tradition of giving her children water-themed middle names:
- Benjamin Rein – 16 years old, from her marriage to Brady
- Vivian Lake – 13 years old, from her marriage to Brady
- Baby boy River – Born February 2025, with Valente
Bündchen’s pregnancy became public knowledge in October 2024, though she didn’t officially confirm it until November when she showed her baby bump at a charity event in Miami.
Life After Brady
Bündchen’s first marriage to Tom Brady spanned 13 years and produced two children together.
The couple met in late 2006 and began dating in early 2007, just before Brady’s ex Bridget Moynahan revealed she was pregnant with his first child, Jack. Despite that complication, their relationship moved forward quickly.
They got engaged in January 2009 and married just one month later in a small Catholic ceremony in Santa Monica, followed by a larger celebration at Bündchen’s home in Costa Rica.
However, their marriage faced challenges after Brady decided to end his brief retirement in 2022 to play a 23rd NFL season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Rumors of marital problems circulated throughout that period.
On October 28, 2022, both parties filed for divorce and finalized the agreement the same day after reportedly working behind the scenes on a settlement beforehand.
Both Moving Forward
While Bündchen has found love and marriage with Valente, Brady has also moved on in his personal life.
In 2023, he was linked to model Irina Shayk in what appeared to be a brief romance. However, reports suggest the two have rekindled their connection in 2025, though they’re keeping things casual.
A source told the Daily Mail earlier this month that Brady and Shayk “are not dating anyone else” but remain “officially single.” They’re reportedly on the “same page” and aren’t “looking for anything serious or to go exclusive.”
Meanwhile, Bündchen has clearly chosen a different path—one that prioritizes privacy, family, and building something lasting with someone who started as a friend.
Her decision to marry Valente in an intimate home ceremony, surrounded by select family members, reflects a shift toward a quieter, more grounded approach to both love and life.
For now, the newlyweds appear focused on their growing family and nurturing the honest, transparent relationship Bündchen described—a partnership built on friendship, shared values, and mutual respect that took root long before romance ever blossomed.