Nick Lachey and Vanessa Minnillo
Yitzhak Dalal/Hilton Media Group
"I wanted to be in that long traditional wedding gown with heels and I wanted my groom in a tux and shoes and not barefoot on the beach," says Minnillo. The new Wipeout host, 30, wore a two-piece Monique Lhuillier ensemble and diamond stud earrings that Lachey gave her during their first year as a couple.
"There was just something so timeless, beautiful and romantic about having that element of a traditional wedding," she says.
The moment Lachey, 37, saw his bride for the first time was a moment he'll never forget. "It literally took my breath away," he says. "It's a moment you fantasize about, and I was certainly not disappointed."
Celebrity wedding planner Sharon Sacks created a four-day celebration for their 35 guests that reflected the couple's fun-loving and relaxed wedding attitude.
Things were "eerily calm," says The Sing-Off host of the days leading up to their island nuptials.
"We realized it wasn't about stressing over how many tiers there were on the cake," joked Minnillo. Added Lachey: "We're determined to have a great time no matter what!"
For exclusive photos of Nick and Vanessa's wedding – and all the details of their joyful ceremony – pick up the new issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday
