Disney Costars Johnno Wilson and Anneliese van der Pol Are Married! Inside Their Elopement in Santa Barbara (Exclusive)

• Former Disney costars Johnno Wilson and Anneliese van der Pol eloped on Dec. 11 at the Santa Barbara Courthouse

• The two fell in love after being cast as ex-spouses on Raven's Home, which aired on Disney Channel from 2017 to 2023

• "The only thing that was important to me was that the exchanging of our vows and our commitment to each other be private," the bride tells PEOPLE, adding that she is considering having a small wedding celebration with family and friends in the spring

Johnno Wilson and Anneliese van der Pol are married!

On-screen, the couple played ex-husband and wife in the Disney sitcom Raven's Home from July 2017 to September 2023. Now, they've made their marriage official in real life! In "a dream come true" and "best decision of their lives," the two eloped by themselves at the Santa Barbara Courthouse on Wednesday, Dec. 11, nearly a year after they got engaged.

"When we first got together, we didn’t think about marriage. But at some point, we knew we were going to be together forever, and we wanted to combine our lives in every respect," Wilson tells PEOPLE. "She is my greatest support, a true partner, makes me belly laugh every day, and a total babe ... so why wouldn’t I want to marry her?"

"Amen to that!" van der Pol replies. "I want Johnno to be a witness to my life, and I want to be a witness to his ... He matches my silliness and doesn’t take life or himself too seriously. I love that and need that so much."

The That's So Raven actress says that she "wanted to elope from the jump" but jokes that "the groomzilla, sorry, the love of my life Johnno," wanted to have a celebration. So, the duo began planning a wedding with their immediate families in South Carolina.

Their wedding plans changed after Wilson booked a television show that would film in Toronto for two months.

"So I got my way. Yay!" van der Pol says, also joking, "I wanted to be on Johnno’s SAG health insurance as soon as possible and I didn’t want to miss the 2024 joint filing deadline! Romantic, I know."

While Wilson admits he's worn his wedding ring "a little for practice," it wasn't until the afternoon that he exchanged traditional vows and legally tied the knot.

"To be honest, the only thing that was important to me was that the exchanging of our vows and our commitment to each other be private," van der Pol tells PEOPLE. "My mother is no longer with us, and we didn’t want to stress anyone else out about travel, lodging, etc. We're 40 and in love so that’s plenty for me."

The Spanish-style architecture of the courthouse made for a "really gorgeous and lovely backdrop."

The bride — who has "already worn more wedding dresses and been a part of more fake weddings in theater productions than she can count" — chose to say "I do" in a vintage Jessica McClintock dress from Los Angeles retro shop Playclothes Vintage.

"My sisters spotted it on an outing, and the fact that they had a small hand in picking it out means a whole lot to me," says van der Pol, who purchased the dress for only $98.

Meanwhile, the groom was given a J.Crew tuxedo from his brother.

"So I’m going classic Bond. Johnno Bond," he teases.

The newlyweds had a mini photo shoot outside. When they went to go back inside, the courthouse was locked. Luckily, a "wonderful" security guard, JC, let them back in and took them on a courthouse tour so they could spend another hour taking photos.

Afterward, the couple drove in a convertible with the top down to Caruso's, Rosewood Miramar Beach's Michelin One Star and Green Star oceanfront restaurant in Santa Barbara, Calif.. They enjoyed an opulent eight-course meal by Chef Massimo Falsini while still in their wedding attire.

"I just can’t wait to have that ring on my finger and walk into the restaurant and say, 'Yes, my wife made a reservation for two,' " Wilson told PEOPLE ahead of the big day.

They then went to a hotel together for a romantic evening together where van der Pol serenaded Wilson with Liza Minnelli's "Maybe This Time."

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Wilson thinks he might have met his wife before his first Raven's Home table read, but it was ultimately the show that brought them together. In the series, he played the ex-husband, Garrett Grayson, of her character Chelsea Daniels, who was Raven-Symone's best friend.

"I came in pretty late to the reading and was visibly stressed. The cast was all seated, looking at me, ready to go. But Johnno wasn’t stressing," van der Pol recalls. "He stood up, came over to me and introduced himself. He was so cheerful and confident, and well, handsome. The rest is history. I owe a lot to our casting director!"

Wilson popped the question on Dec. 23, 2023, which was also van der Pol's late mother's birthday. "Thank you @disney for introducing me to my TV ex-spouse and real life fiancé," he captioned a joint Instagram post announcing the news.

"If I could have gotten married to her the day we got engaged I would have," says Wilson, who proposed with a stunning ring designed by himself and Prime Mountings' Artin Avanessian.

He recalls: "I made a reservation at our favorite local restaurant, Black Market Liquor Bar, and proposed in front of our Christmas tree. It was just the two of us, and I thought it was going to be pretty chill, but I was dead wrong. The moment I popped the question we both scream-laugh-cried with so much joy. I’ve never experienced anything like it. Best day of my life, next to our wedding day."

"I had no idea it was coming," van der Pol adds. "It was a total surprise and it was perfect; simple and in our home, where we share our happiest moments."

The couple plans to have a small party with their family and friends in the spring and are considering a European honeymoon together, but they are most excited about finally being husband and wife.

"Johnno is incredibly emotionally available. He is the kind of intelligent I am interested in, and he has the same idea of fun as I do," van der Pol gushes of her husband. "We see the world in similar ways, and we care and want for the same things. I can 1000% count on him. I admire how driven he is and how he never gives up on himself or the people who he loves. I know my happiness is his happiness, and his is mine. He is a good, sound man, and he is so damn funny. Life is just easier with him."

"Anneliese is so self-assured, smart, hilarious and effortlessly cool," Wilson says. "I learn a lot from her perspective on life, and anytime I have a question about anything, she has the answer. Life is and will be so fun and interesting with her."

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