'Idol' Alum Kellie Pickler Is Married!

By Kelly Fisher Posted Jan 4th 2011 05:00PM

A new year, a new marriage!

'American Idol' alum Kellie Pickler, 24, tied the knot with fiance Kyle Jacobs, 37, in a surprise New Year's Day ceremony in the Caribbean, her rep tells PEOPLE.

The couple, who have been dating since 2008 and got engaged in June, enjoyed "a small, intimate ceremony on a private island."

Pickler has been gearing up for marriage since the beach-side proposal in Florida. "We would've gotten married that night had there been a preacher walking by," she said about the proposal. "It turned out to be the most amazing day of my life. My whole world changed."

And since the special moment occurred on Pickler's late grandmother's birthday, she "feels like we got my grandmother's blessing," she told PEOPLE.

"I remember saying to Kyle, 'Baby it's like I'm dreaming -- but if this isn't real, I'm going to be very upset!'" she says of the proposal.

And now it looks like her dream finally came true!