NEED TO KNOW
Gisele Bündchen and Joaquim Valente privately wed on Dec. 3 in Surfside, Fla.
A source close to the model tells PEOPLE exclusively that she has found another kind of deep happiness since tying the knot
The couple shares a 1-year-old son
Gisele Bündchen is embracing newlywed life.
The Brazilian fashion model, 45, privately married jiu-jitsu instructor Joaquim Valente on Dec. 3 in Surfside, Fla. A source close to Bündchen now tells PEOPLE exclusively that she feels “really happy being married” and has found a deeper sense of fulfillment in her daily life in Florida.
“It [marriage] didn’t change their day-to-day life in a big way, but it made things feel more meaningful,” the source says of the couple. “It was a very special moment for them to celebrate with close family and friends. They’ll joke about it and say, ‘Now we’ve been married for two months, now three months.’ It’s still new, but it already feels like they’ve built so much together in a short time.”
Joaquim Valente and Gisele Bündchen with their son
Credit: Gisele Bundchen/Instagram
Bündchen and Valente said “I do” less than a year after they welcomed their first baby together, a son, 1, whose first name has been kept private. Bündchen also shares daughter Vivian, 13, and son Benjamin, 16, with ex-husband Tom Brady, 48.
“She’s incredibly happy. Everything feels like it’s come together,” the source says. “The kids are thriving, and she’s so grateful to be a mom again.”
The insider continues, “She’s created a life that feels very peaceful. It’s a slower, more intentional pace, and it’s exactly what she wants. It’s an amazing lifestyle for the whole family. It’s very focused on wellness. They spend a lot of time outside. They love going for walks, paddleboarding and just being active together.”
The source adds that while Bündchen’s focus is on her family first, she is also excited about working, having recently stepped back into the beauty game as the global brand ambassador for Garnier.
“She still loves working, but it’s on her terms now,” the source says. “It has to fit into her life, not the other way around. Family comes first, and she’s not chasing anything. The opportunities that come to her now feel like a natural fit, and this makes her excited. When Garnier approached her, it truly felt like the right fit.”
Gisele Bündchen and Joaquim Valente riding bikes in September 2025
Credit: BACKGRID
A source confirmed to PEOPLE that Bündchen and Valente began dating in June 2023 after first sparking romance rumors in November 2022. Valente worked as Bündchen’s jiu-jitsu instructor following her divorce from Brady, whom she was married to for 13 years.
Bündchen opted to keep her nuptials with Valente secret because she is “tired of all the attention on her private life,” a source told PEOPLE in December. The source noted that the “small, private non-event” was exactly what the model wanted, saying, “[They] are both so happy being together, and being new parents, it was what they wanted to do. They are best friends with a lot in common and are so excited about everything.”
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Another source told PEOPLE at the time that “it felt natural to get married.”
“It wasn’t about outside pressure or expectations. It was something she wanted for personal reasons and for her family. She’s very, very happy,” the source said, adding, “Gisele didn’t feel the need to share the wedding with anyone outside of her family unit. It just reflected where she is in her life right now.”
On Jan. 28, Bündchen marked her and Valente’s son’s first birthday with a sweet post on Instagram in which she shared a carousel of family photos and thanked God for her family. Earlier that month, she wrote on Instagram that her heart was “full of gratitude” and encouraged people to honor their “heart’s calling” and love “more deeply.”
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