Miley Cyrus & Liam Hemsworth Got Married In Secret For This Reason

Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth finally tied the knot on Sunday after a 10-year-long love story (including one heartbreaking split). The wedding was not exactly as the couple originally planned–they had a ceremony in Malibu booked before the tragic California wildfires–but a source told Entertainment Tonight that Cyrus and Hemsworth decided to marry on their own terms in a small, secret wedding.

“Marriage has become such a topic of conversation in their relationship. Everyone is always asking them when and now its real, they did it! The gathering was small and intimate and rather spontaneous,” the source revealed. “They did some quick pre-planning before the holiday and decided that they didn’t want a big elaborate wedding. They truly wanted to keep it a secret.”

The source went on to explain that the couple only wanted a handful of the most important people in their lives at the ceremony, which was held at their home in Franklin, Tennessee, something the couple had talked about in the past before planning the Malibu wedding.

“Miley knows she is taking an important step towards building their future and she knows Liam is the perfect match for her,” the source said of the relationship.

In the end, the wedding was exactly what Cyrus and Hemsworth had hoped for. The 26-year-old “Nothing Breaks Like A Heart” singer was reportedly “ecstatic” about the celebration.

Among the attendees were Cyrus’ sisters, Noah and Brandi, and Hemsworth’s brothers, Chris and Luke.

“It was so touching,” the source continued. “They were literally smiling from ear to ear and you could truly see their love. Their friends are so excited for them!”

The couple began dating in 2010 during filming for The Last Song, a film adaptation of the popular romance novel by Nicholas Sparks, according to Cosmopolitan. Cyrus and Hemsworth had been off and on since then, with an engagement announcement in 2012. They broke off the engagement just one year later, remaining friends until 2016 when they reunited as an engaged couple.

Cyrus and Hemsworth had originally wanted to wed in their home in Malibu, but they ended up moving to Tennessee when the Woolsey wildfire swept through Malibu and destroyed their beloved home in November.

The couple will seek a new home in Malibu now that they are married, a source told People.

The December 23 wedding was confirmed on Wednesday when Cyrus posted photos from the ceremony on social media.

In one image, Cyrus and Hemsworth shared a kiss in their wedding looks–a floor-length white Vivienne Westwood gown and a black tuxedo, People reported. In two other photos, the couple is seen snuggling at an altar decorated with roses and baby’s breath.

Hemsworth shared one of the photos as well, captioning the image, “My love.”