Dancing With the Stars ' Derek Hough and Hayley Erbert marry: 'It's like a fairy tale'

Longtime Dancing With the Stars performers Derek Hough and Hayley Erbert are officially married.

The couple said their vows in an intimate Redwood Forest wedding ceremony that fittingly featured an "epic" barn dance party, they confirmed to PEOPLE and Brides. Among the celebrity guests were Hough's sister, Julianne Hough, and friends including Nina Dobrev, Jenna Johnson, Maria Menounos, and Shaun White. Fellow dancer Mark Ballas, who recently retired from competing on DWTS, served as Hough's best man.

Amy and Stuart Photography Derek Hough and Hayley Erbert at their wedding

The Monterey County, Calif., venue was a mix of regal and rustic. "We got married right in front of this mother tree that's surrounded by all these smaller trees," Erbert told PEOPLE and Brides. "They drop all the seeds, and it plants kind of like an army of children to protect the mother. The symbolism of it was beautiful. We're here, planting our seeds to grow our family."

"It's one of the most breathtaking places," Hough said. "It's like a fairy tale."

Amy and Stuart Photography Derek Hough and Hayley Erbert at their wedding

The newlyweds shared their first dance to "Fall Into Me" by Forest Blakk. Before the wedding, they acknowledged that while attendees may be expecting a grand performance from the two trained dancers, they planned to keep things simple.

"If we perform, we go on stage, we dance, we do things," Hough explained. "It feels more special for us to not perform. To be on the floor with each other, to listen to music, and just be in the moment."

The couple first met after Erbert landed a spot on the So You Think You Can Dance tour in 2013, but didn't begin their relationship until years later when she joined the DWTS dance troupe. Hough is a longtime competitor on the hit ABC series, and he has won the show a record-breaking six times with various celebrity partners and since become a judge on it.

Hough and Erbert went public with their relationship in 2017 and announced their engagement five years later in 2022, with joint Instagram posts featuring a grand display of flowers, candles, and the duo embracing in their Los Angeles home.

"It's only the beginning… the beginning of forever," the caption read.

Hough hinted at their approaching nuptials earlier in the week with a Wednesday Instagram video featuring a montage of the couple as the backdrop to him performing an original song, "Hold Back Time," about their relationship.

"I sat down at the piano, thinking about our relationship and the massive step of committing my life to you," Hough wrote in the caption. "The amount of life we have already shared is pretty incredible. This video is a just a tiny snippet of what we've already experienced. Life seems to be moving so fast, I want to hold back time as much as I possibly can to savor each and every moment with you. I can't wait to continue building memories and a beautiful life with you, together."

Erbert replied in the comments, "I love you from the deepest depths of my heart. Thank you for choosing me in this life."

Hough and Erbert will next share the stage as dance partners throughout their Symphony of Dance national tour, which kicks off Sept. 28. Hough is also set to continue his judging duties in the upcoming season of Dancing With the Stars.

See exclusive photos of Hough and Erbert's wedding over at PEOPLE and Brides.

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