The former Bachelorette star married Tyler Johnson in a surprise ceremony
Don’t pinch newly married Emily Maynard – she’s happy to keep dreaming of her big day.
“Every minute of the wedding was so exciting, that I feel like I am still in this dream that I’ll never wake up from,” Maynard (with her daughter Ricki and new husband, above) tells PEOPLE exclusively.
The former Bachelorette contestant wed automotive management consultant Tyler Johnson in a surprise ceremony on Saturday in Sharon, South Carolina.
The couple, both 28, who have been engaged since January, invited 200 guests to Johnson’s family farm for an engagement party, only to surprise their loved ones with the nuptials they had been planning for the past three months.
The former reality star, who now goes by Emily Johnson, wore cowboy boots underneath her pink Modern Trousseau gown. Her daughter Ricki, 8, served as her maid of honor.
“It’s just as much her day as it is mine because it’s a big change for her,” the bride told PEOPLE. “She just adores Tyler and he is so good with her. He loves her as if she was his own daughter. It’s been so great to see their relationship grow.”
For more exclusive photos and details on Maynard’s big day, pick up this week’s issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday
• Reporting by AILI NAHAS