U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye married Irene Hirano in a small, private ceremony yesterday in Beverly Hills, Calif., his office said.

The 83-year-old Hawai'i Democrat, the third most senior member of the U.S. Senate, exchanged vows with Hirano in a church ceremony that was limited to members of the immediate families.

At Inouye's side was his son, Ken Inouye, who served as best man. Jennifer Hirano served as maid of honor for her mother, who is president of the Japanese-American National Museum in Los Angeles.

Inouye was dressed in a dark suit, and Hirano, 59, wore a white suit.

"This is a glorious day for both Irene and I, as we start a new chapter in our lives," Inouye said in a news release.

"Our work keeps us quite busy, but the time we spend together and even our chats on the phone give a special richness to our lives. I am most fortunate to have as my partner a beautiful, accomplished, intelligent and worldly woman," Inouye said.

Hirano has been president and CEO of the Japanese-American National Museum for the past 20 years. She led fundraising campaigns that garnered $65 million and 65,000 members, built an endowment and oversaw a multimillion-dollar expansion.

Inouye and Hirano have known each other more than two decades; in the past, he has chaired the museum's board of governors, and has been a staunch supporter and benefactor of the museum.

Inouye was first elected to the Senate in 1962 and is now considered among the most powerful people in Congress. The senator's first wife, Maggie, died in 2006 from complications of colon cancer. The two had been married for nearly 60 years.

The wedding date was chosen to coincide with the start of a U.S. Senate recess. After yesterday's ceremony, the couple left for a five-day honeymoon in Carmel, Calif.

Inouye said earlier this year that he and Hirano are still figuring out how to juggle their careers. They expect to divide time among residences in Washington, D.C., Los Angeles and Honolulu.