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How Chateau Miraval Helped Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt Keep Their Wedding a Secret

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's French estate and site of their wedding, Chateau Miraval (Splash News / WireImage)
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's French estate and site of their wedding, Chateau Miraval (Splash News / WireImage)

When two of the world's most famous stars who have been together for nine years and have six kids decide it's finally time to make it official, where do they have their ceremony? At their own private French estate, of course! At least, that's exactly what Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie opted to do on Saturday, Aug. 23.

[Related: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie Are Married]

The couple acquired Chateau Miraval, located in the village of Correns in Provence, France, in 2008. Beyond its visual perfection and place in the couple's hearts, the bride and groom likely had one powerful motivating factor in deciding to get hitched at this home: its seclusion. Because of its location, size (more than 1,000 acres!), and layout, the estate is pretty much the closest you can get to a fortress to keep the paparazzi out (which it seems they succeeded in doing).

Furthermore, the sheer size of the place keeps the Jolie-Pitt clan far from the prying eyes of nosy neighbors, who were as surprised to learn of the nuptials as we were. "No one in Correns knew a thing," a town official told People. "It was a marriage which seems to have been carried out in total intimacy and absolute discretion."

The chapel at Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's French house, Chateau Miraval (Splash News)
The chapel at Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's French house, Chateau Miraval (Splash News)

In addition to a 35-room main house, the property includes an ancient chapel that dates back to the 1200s where the couple exchanged there vows. It also features a working vineyard that spans more than 1,100 acres.

As for local wedding vendors, Pitt made a stop at the massive home for 10 days in July to iron out some of the details and worked with a small florist (that clearly knows how to keep a secret) a few villages away, according to People.

[Related: Brad Pitt Steps Out Wearing a Wedding Ring]

Chateau Miraval has its own storied past rooted in the arts. In the 1970s, the famed jazz pianist and composer Jacques Loussier called it home, and since then, musicians ranging from Sting and Pink Floyd to The Cranberries and Sade have recorded music there. Still, Pitt and Jolie wanted to make it their own, and they began renovations shortly after purchasing it from its American owner, Tom Bove.

Chateau Miraval (Splash News)
Chateau Miraval (Splash News)

"They have thinned some of the forest and renovated parts of it," Bove revealed about the couple's efforts to update the property. "Miraval has 20 sets of terraces in the grounds, each one is half a mile long, they are huge and date back to Roman times, and Brad has started rebuilding them."

[Related: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's Most Romantic Moments]

As usual, however, the pair's hard work no doubt paid off. Restored to perfection, Miraval looks as if it could have been plucked from the pages of a fairytale book. Red roofs and robin's egg blue shutters pop against the surrounding greenery of the lush countryside, while a small lake completes the idyllic scene. What's more, however, it's not only stunningly beautiful; it's the foundation for a successful business.

Chateau Miraval (Splash News)
Chateau Miraval (Splash News)

In 2012, after restoring the estate, Pitt and Jolie partnered with the legendary wine-making Perrin family to produce their own vino. Both Pitt and Jolie were heavily involved in the process, and, by 2013, their Côtes de Provence Rosé Miraval was declared the world's best rosé... further confirming our suspicions that there's nothing that Mr. and Mrs. Pitt can't do.

While an official honeymoon may have to wait – Brad has already made appearances to promote his new movie, Fury, and the pair will be meeting in Malta to start filming their joint project, By the Sea – we imagine that when you're already at Miraval, it's about as romantic and close to paradise as you can get.