Jana Duggar Marries Stephen Wissmann in ‘Elegant’ Arkansas Wedding: Photos (Exclusive)

For Jana Duggar, her dream wedding finally came true!

The Count on Alum, 34, the eldest daughter of the Duggar family, married Stephen Wissmann, 31, in a “classic, elegant” ceremony on Thursday, August 15, in Prairie Grove, Arkansas.

The couple, who got engaged on June 15, exchanged traditional vows at The Grand at Willow Springs in front of 500 guests. Jessa Duggar Seewald served as the bride’s maid of honor, while her sister-in-law Abbie Duggar and her sisters Joy-Anna Forsyth, Johannah Duggar, Jinger Duggar Vuolo and Jordyn Duggar served as bridesmaids.

“I think this is one of those things that all girls imagine one day,” Jana told PEOPLE about her wedding two days before the ceremony. “For me, it felt like, ‘Okay, this is never going to happen.’ But now I’m starting to realize that I can finally grasp it. Reality is starting to sink in. And I’m like, ‘Wow, this is really something I’ve dreamed of.’ And just to see it come true is incredible and kind of hard to believe. It’s a dream come true.”

Jana walked down the aisle in an off-the-shoulder ivory satin ball gown with her father, Jim Bob Duggar, singing “Holy, Holy, Holy.” “The dress looked classy and a little bit like a princess,” says Jana.

When it came to decorating their event, the couple wanted to keep it simple.

“The venue is already so beautiful and picturesque that I didn’t want to distract from it too much,” says Jana. “The boys are wearing black suits, the girls are wearing champagne-colored dresses and then only white flowers and greenery.”

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

When planning their grand wedding, the couple made it a priority to include their loved ones.

“Since we come from two larger families (Wissmann is one of 13 siblings), we love to come together and celebrate moments like this,” says Jana. “And the fact that they are all here just means a lot to us.”

After the traditional vows and lighting of the wedding candle, the 500 guests joined the reception and ate a dinner of chicken, green beans, mashed potatoes, dinner rolls and coleslaw prepared by the groom’s family. “Since we’re having an evening wedding, I envisioned this more formal dinner,” Jana says. “The Wissmanns are incredible cooks. They’re going to prepare a lavish buffet and have been working on it. I say, ‘Just do it. I trust all of you. You all make amazing food.'”

For dessert, the bride and groom cut a three-tiered cake with lemon-raspberry filling, which was served alongside cupcakes. One of Jana’s brothers-in-law served as emcee during the post-wedding festivities, hosting interactive games and activities for guests. After heartfelt toasts, the newlyweds danced their first dance before Jana tossed her bouquet into the crowd.

Wissmann, who lives with his parents and siblings in Nebraska, first came into contact with Jana years ago through their families.

“(The Wissmanns) traveled and sang. I remember them coming to our house about 13 years ago and ending up getting snowed in, which hardly ever happens in Arkansas,” Jana recalls.

“I remember playing games and doing puzzles together late into the night until the snow melted and they could head home. I don’t remember Stephen very well because I’m older than him and he wasn’t on my radar at all.”

A few years ago, their paths crossed again and they dated briefly before going their separate ways. Despite the split, they stayed in touch and “kept talking to each other over the years.” Around the same time, Jana’s brother Jeremiah Duggar married Wissmann’s sister Hannah.

It was only at the beginning of this year that Jana and Wissmann got back in touch for the last time. “It was as if we were asking ourselves: ‘What are we doing? We still enjoy each other. We still value each other very much,'” she remembers.

Jana admits that she was on her guard when it came to falling in love, but Wissmann has proven that he is the one.

“I was a little slower, but over time his character changed, he came back and he still loves me no matter what,” she says. “I know we’re a big, crazy family and we still have to put up with a lot of things. I think to myself, my goodness, there aren’t many people who do that. He must really, genuinely care about me.”

She continues: “It’s taken me a while to open up, but I think it’s just because he continues to be there for me no matter what, through good times and bad. He’s been a good friend over the years and hasn’t put any pressure on me.”

Still, she admits that it wasn’t always easy for her to watch her younger siblings get married before her. Eleven of her 18 brothers and sisters are already married.

“I’m just thinking, ‘What’s going on? Is it me? Do I have a problem?’ I know I’ve prayed about it for years and I’ve definitely thought, ‘What’s going on? Why can’t I just…’ All of my siblings, most of them, got married in their early 20s,” she says. “I’m the oldest by far. So it was discouraging at times.”

Jana adds: “I tried to look at the positive side, but you long for that person, for someone to spend your life with. It was hard, but it was good and God taught me a lot along the way.”

As newlyweds, they are excited to start their next chapter together and finally live in the same state. Jana plans to move to Nebraska after the wedding, where she will live with Wissmann, who, in addition to sandblasting and painting, also works as an irrigation system installer. “It’s been great. We’ve been working, he has a little house that we bought and we’ve been renovating and fixing up, and that’s been fun,” Jana says.

When reflecting on her journey to true love, Jana says her faith has always helped her get through.

“I haven’t always understood what the big picture is, but I know that God knows what’s best for all of us. And for me, it’s to get married later,” she says. “Each of our stories is written differently. If we were all exactly the same, it would be a boring life. That’s why I love how God orchestrates it.”