Kevin Costner Dances with Bride

Mon., Sep. 27, 2004 11:15 AM PDT by Sarah Hall

Kevin Costner and fianc?e Christine Baumgartner went the distance over the weekend.

The duo tied the knot at a Western-themed wedding Saturday afternoon at Costner's Aspen ranch with "300 close friends and family" looking on, according to Costner's publicist, Paul Bloch. It was the groom's second trip down the aisle, the bride's first.

Baumgartner, 30, wore a gown designed by Monique Lhuillier and a beaded veil; Costner, 49, sported Ralph Lauren.

Costner and his groomsmen arrived for the ceremony in a horse-drawn carriage, Entertainment Tonight reported. Ten minutes later, the bride appeared in a vintage green Chevy pickup truck.

The ceremony wrapped up at 4 p.m., with Costner taking his new wife on an impromptu canoe ride, still dressed in her gown.

"The canoe ride we do all the time," Baumgartner told Entertainment Tonight. "I thought it was romantic. Kevin said, 'Let's get in the canoe,' so I did!"

The celebration began on Friday, with the fun couple entertaining 200 of their nearest and dearest at a rehearsal dinner held at the ranch. The guest list reportedly included A-listers Oprah Winfrey, Tim Allen, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Michael Douglas and Jack Nicholson.

Other pre- and post-wedding activities included cattle-roping, fishing contests and a tractor pull. However, groom-to-be Costner claimed that he planned to take it easy before his trip down the aisle.

"I'll play tame--I don't want to get married with a broken leg," the thesp told Entertainment Tonight.

Apparently, the wedding was a success from both the bride and groom's points of view.

"Once I turned the corner and walked into Kevin, it was a dream," Baumgartner said.

"I imagine mine was just like every man's who's found a woman that they think they want to spend the rest of their life with," Costner said. "Seeing them come down dressed in that traditional white thing. They just look so pure."

The pair first began dating five years ago, after initially meeting more than 10 years ago on a golf course. They got engaged in June 2003.

Costner's marriage to Cindy Silva, his wife of 16 years, ended in 1994. The exes share three children, Annie, Lily and Joe. Costner also has a fourth child, son Liam, with Aspen socialite Bridget Rooney, with whom he had a brief fling.

Costner and Baumgartner will be delaying their honeymoon while Baumgartner launches a new line of computer bags called Cat Bags, and Costner finishes shooting on his current project.

The thesp most recently appeared in 2003's Open Range. He just completed the film The Upside of Anger, due out later this year, and is at work on an untitled Graduate sequel directed by Rob Reiner opposite Jennifer Aniston, due out next year.

Costner will also be seen in 2005's The Tortilla Curtain opposite Meg Ryan.