Country singers Carly Pearce and Michael Ray became husband and wife on Sunday in front of 100 of their closest family members and friends in an intimate ceremony at Drakewood Farm outside of Nashville. Both Pearce and Ray say they knew they were going to spend their lives together when they went on their first date in the summer of 2018.

Pearce and Ray ran in the same Nashville circles for years, but it was a friendly meetup at Pearce’s home in June 2018 that changed their lives forever. After talking for hours, the couple made their way to Nashville Palace for some music, and when he put his arm around her, they shared a moment that they will never forget.

Ray says he thought “Oh, it’s her,” when he looked at Pearce, explaining “It was that fast.” Pearce agrees, saying that it was a “very certain moment” where she knew she had met the person she was going to be with.

Just six months later, Ray proposed with a five-carat diamond ring during their Christmas vacation in Tulum, Mexico.

Pearce told People Magazine that she knows without a shadow of a doubt that she didn’t settle for anything less than the person who was made for her, and she is thankful for that.

“No matter what, I have her in my corner,” added Ray. “No matter what, she has me in her corner. I tell her, you’re never going to face anything alone. Never will there be anything in life that you don’t look over and I’m standing beside you.”

Their Drakewood Farm wedding venue gave them the exact vibe they were going for – “Earthy and whimsical and romantic and elements of country,” as it featured a 19th-century mansion, three barns, and a pavillion. However, the weather didn’t cooperate and they weren’t able to have the outdoor ceremony they had hoped for.

They ended up exchanging vows inside a barn, and the bride wore a Samantha Sleeper gown that featured a high neckline, sleeves, and a short pencil skirt covered by sheer lace. Pearce says she wanted a unique dress, and Ray made sure he didn’t see his bride on their wedding day until she was walking down the aisle.

At the reception, they shared their first dance to Jake Owen’s Made For You, which he performed for the couple. And, DJ AyDam was in charge of the dance party, but Pearce and Ray banned cheesy wedding reception classics like YMCA, Chicken Dance, and Electric Slide.

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Because of their touring schedules and busy careers, the couple is putting off their honeymoon until December. Carly Pearce says her dream vacation is to stay in “one of those over-water bungalows,” so she and Michael Ray have planned a honeymoon at the Sandals Resort in Jamaica, and they are getting one of those bungalows.