Julia Roberts’ 51-acre New Mexico ranch hosted her 2002 wedding to Danny Moder, with Brad Pitt and George Clooney among 50 Hollywood guests

Julia Roberts’ former Taos ranch holds a place in Hollywood history as the setting for her 2002 wedding to cinematographer Danny Moder. The 51-acre New Mexico property, with its canyon views and secluded surroundings, offered a private setting for the actress to celebrate away from the usual public attention. Their midnight ceremony on 4 July brought around 50 guests to the ranch, including George Clooney and Brad Pitt. A small wooden chapel, a white reception tent and a relaxed Western-inspired dress code shaped the occasion, turning Roberts’ private retreat into the backdrop for one of the most talked-about moments in her personal life.Julia Roberts’ 51-acre New Mexico ranch offered a private wedding settingRoberts’ ranch covered 51 acres in the Taos area, providing room for a celebration away from the attention that ordinarily followed the actress. The property had a canyon view and enough space for the couple to hold their wedding outdoors, with a temporary white tent erected for guests. Roberts had also built a small wooden chapel on the land, adding a more permanent feature to a place that served as her private home and retreat.Taos, in northern New Mexico, has long attracted people looking for a quieter setting among high desert terrain, mountains and expansive skies. For Roberts, the ranch offered a degree of privacy that would have been difficult to find at a conventional wedding venue. Its appeal was not simply the scenery. The event could be arranged on familiar ground, with guests brought in for a private gathering rather than a public-facing ceremony.Julia Roberts’ 2002 wedding featured 50 guests and a rain-soaked ceremonyAs reported by The New York Post, Roberts married Moder in the early hours of 4 July 2002, at a ceremony that began around midnight. The date gave the gathering an Independence Day connection, while the invitations set out a deliberately informal mix of summer garden party and Western-inspired style. Guests were encouraged to wear light fabrics and summer hats rather than formal black-tie clothing.Around 50 guests attended, according to the New York Post report published the following day. Among them were George Clooney and Brad Pitt, both familiar figures in Roberts’ professional circle, as well as director Steven Soderbergh, who had worked with her on Ocean’s Eleven and Erin Brockovich. The guest list was small by celebrity-event standards, but it included people whose presence gave the private occasion a distinctly Hollywood dimension.Weather briefly threatened to become an unwelcome part of the proceedings. Heavy rain and thunderstorms had swept through the area during the preceding afternoon, leaving the ground wet and the skies unsettled. The downpour eased about half an hour after the ceremony began, allowing the celebration to continue.A bohemian dress code and cowboy hats shaped the ranch weddingThe wedding’s dress code reflected the couple’s choice of setting. Their invitation combined references to Shakespearean midsummer festivities with the glamour associated with The Great Gatsby and a bohemian interpretation of the American West. Guests were asked to dress for warm weather and an outdoor party, with linen and seersucker among the suggested fabrics.Cowboy hats appeared among the guests, fitting the ranch surroundings without turning the occasion into a formal Western-themed production. A spacious white tent provided shelter and space for the gathering, while the celebration carried on beyond sunrise. Food included Southwestern-style barbecue, according to the contemporary report.The arrangements were informal in appearance, but the guest list and location ensured that the wedding attracted attention. Journalists and photographers gathered outside the estate, attempting to catch a glimpse of the proceedings from beyond the property's boundaries. The ranch's privacy could limit access, even if it could not prevent public interest in Roberts’ marriage.How Roberts and Moder came togetherRoberts and Moder met while working on The Mexican, the 2001 film starring Roberts and Pitt. Moder was working as a cinematographer, and their professional connection developed into a relationship that eventually led to the New Mexico wedding. At the time, Moder was still married to makeup artist Vera Steimberg, from whom he later separated. Their relationship drew considerable tabloid attention in the period before the wedding.For Roberts, the marriage came after several highly publicised relationships. She had previously married country singer Lyle Lovett in 1993; the marriage ended after less than two years. Her personal life had attracted press coverage since the success of Pretty woman in 1990, and her relationships were often treated as part of the wider celebrity narrative surrounding her career.The wedding to Moder marked a new chapter, though the couple kept the details of the ceremony largely private. Roberts’ publicist confirmed the marriage after the event, while the precise arrangements remained limited to what guests and contemporary reports revealed.Disclaimer: This article is based on information available online. The Times of India has not independently verified the property details or listing price.Ready to Make a Smarter Property Decision? Build Your Legacy with TOI Homes.