Zellweger marries country singer Kenny Chesney

Posted Tuesday, May 10, 2005 at 6:10 AM Central

by Tim Briscoe

Talk about surprises! Oscar-winning actress Renée Zellweger married country music cowboy Kenny Chesney on Monday in the U.S. Virgin Islands. It was a quick, 15-minute ceremony on the island of St. John were Chesney has a home.

The couple met in January at a benefit for the Asian Tsunami and their relationship quickly blossomed -- apparently he had her at 'hello'. What is even more surprising was their ability to keep the romance secret. Two weeks ago, when The Today Show visited Nashville and featured Kenny on their program, Katie Couric quizzed the country crooner about his love life and he replied smugly that he was still very much single.

This isn't as big a mismatch as it may seem. Zellweger, 36, is from the lone star state of Texas and considers herself a country girl. The 37-year-old Chesney is a native Tennessean and country music superstar.

This is the first marriage for both.