Robin Roberts, Sam Champion, Rubem Robierb, Lara Spencer and Josh Elliott
Ida Mae Astute/ABC
The Good Morning America weather anchor married Rubem Robierb, 35, a fine-arts photographer, Friday afternoon in an intimate ceremony at Champion's Manhattan apartment, his rep confirms to PEOPLE.
The couple, who met three years ago at a New Year's Eve party in Miami and then announced their engagement this past October, were surrounded by small group of family and friends – including GMA pals Robin Roberts – currently recovering from a bone marrow transplant but feeling well enough to attend – Lara Spencer and Josh Elliott.
N.Y. State Supreme Court Justice George J. Silver conducted the 10-minute long ceremony. Roberts recited a poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning.
At the top of the 8 o'clock hour on GMA the cast and crew cheered on Champion and offered good wishes – and noted he looked cool as a cucumber. Asked if he were nervous, Champion said, "The whole family's at the house right now ... so I should be nervous."
Show anchor George Stephanopoulos advised him to "remember every second" of his special day.
A larger wedding party will take place in Miami on New Year's Eve.
"We met on New Year's and he proposed on New Year's Eve, so we thought let's get married on New Year's Eve," said Champion, 51.
"That's going to be the big party," he said. "This is the legal moment that we wanted to celebrate with friends and family and loved ones."
Supreme Court Justice George J. Silver conducts the ceremony
Ida Mae Astute / ABC
The couple couldn't be more excited to make it official. "Rubem said it best. It's the societal affirmation of our relationship. We feel like it's the most important relationship in our lives, and so to be able to share that with the people we love and have it legitimized in that way is really profound. It's not something we take lightly at all."
"It's a shame we can't officially have a legal ceremony in Florida," added Champion. "We're not separating them, because we'd like to do it twice. New York it will be legal. Miami will be the spiritual side to celebrate with the people who have been with us and supporting us and been a part of our lives since we met. We want to celebrate with them."
While the Miami celebration will include "the beach, bassa nova, Tuscan food and all the things we love," it was a white wedding with a holiday theme in New York, featuring white magnolia leaves, white pine and white roses filling the room where they said their "I do"s.
But the best thing about getting married? Says Champion: "I'm looking forward to spending every day of the rest of my life with a guy who just makes me a better person to be around him."
Sam Champion Marries Rubem Robierb
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Sam Champion Marries Rubem Robierb
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Sam Champion Marries Rubem Robierb
