Jake Pavelka is certainly soaring on the wings of love now.

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Seventeen years after he began looking for love on television, the former The Bachelor star married his fiancee, Aimee, People reported

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The pilot-turned-entrepreneur and Aimee exchanged vows in front of family and friends at the Tuscan Rose Ranch in California on Sunday, June 7.

"I wasn't sure I would get married -- and then I found Aimee," Jake, 48, told People before his bride walked down the aisle.

Jake admitted "it almost doesn't seem real" that he's a married man and Aimee, who works in aerospace and defense contracts, is his wife.

"There's a sense of peace and certainty that comes with knowing I get to spend my life with my best friend," Jake gushed.

Jake shared how the couple decided to keep their nuptials "intentionally small" so the wedding would feel more like a "gathering" in their "living room."

Jake and Aimee's wedding reception featured white flowers and greenery, creating an earthy and romantic vibe.

Aimee, 41, noted that the couple's shared faith was "at the heart" of their wedding day.

"It felt like a meaningful way to celebrate the values that have shaped both of our families," Aimee gushed.

Aimee also revealed that she only tried on one wedding dress -- a gown by Ukrainian designer Milla Nova.

"I was in and out of the bridal shop in 20 minutes," Aimee recalled to the magazine. "I knew I wanted something simple, classic and timeless."

Aimee apparently recruited her family members to help her get dressed and look beautiful on her big wedding day.

"My mom's side of the family are all hairdressers," she said. "They're all doing my hair, the bridal parties' hair and some guests as well. That makes it incredibly meaningful for me."

Aimee and Jake also hired local, independent vendors for their wedding, including some of Aimee's business-owning relatives.

The intimate wedding turned out to be a success, as Aimee shared that "Jake has a way of making even the ordinary moments feel special."

"I'm so grateful that we get to build a life, create memories and grow together through every season ahead," she said.

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The Bachelor: On the Wings of Love star and Season 2 Bachelor Pad contestant had just announced his engagement to Aimee via Instagram in February.

"I'm engaged to the most beautiful woman in the world and my best friend," Jake wrote at the time.

Jake popped the question to his girlfriend of two years in their Dallas, TX, apartment on November 22.

While Jake briefly considered a "really big and extravagant" marriage proposal, he told the magazine that he ultimately went with a "simple and intimate" plan.

This marked Jake's second engagement considering he was previously engaged to Vienna Girardi.

After Jake competed for Jillian Harris' heart on The Bachelorette in 2009, he starred on The Bachelor's 14th season and got engaged to Vienna during the ABC reality show's March 2010 finale.

Jake -- who also appeared on Dancing with the Stars' 10th season -- and Vienna announced their breakup in June 2010, after which they awkwardly competed against each other on Bachelor Pad 2, which aired in the Summer 2011.

After a brief cameo on JoJo Fletcher's season of The Bachelorette in 2016, Jake stepped away from Hollywood and started a waste management business called Rhino Removal in 2017.

About a week after Rhino Removal was acquired by a publicly traded company in January 2024, Jake said he and Aimee matched on Bumble.

"I was on a layover in Santa Barbara with the airline, and we matched up," Jake said. "She was living in Los Angeles. I was very, very intrigued, I'll tell you that."

The pair decided to meet up in Las Vegas and have their first date a week or two later at a sushi restaurant, and, according to Jake, their dinner lasted for about six hours.

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Since Aimee hadn't watched Jake's The Bachelor season, he admitted he didn't want to "lead with that."

"The Bachelor, Dancing with the Stars, and all the really fun things that I got to do, those don't define who I am," Jake told People. "So, I think it's really unnatural for somebody to lead with that."

But Jake acknowledged that he eventually had to bring up his reality TV past.

"I remember the conversation was going really well, and it's really crazy, but even 15, almost 16 years later, I still occasionally get recognized as Jake, the pilot," Jake said.

"It feels a little disingenuous if somebody comes up to the table or something and says, 'Hey, are you Jake?' And the other person is left trying to connect the dots. The conversation went on for a couple of hours, and then I just told her, 'I did get to do something really unique and really special years and years and years ago.'"

Jake said it didn't take long for him to "completely" trust Aimee.

"I wanted her to be involved in decisions, even the stressful ones. She's made everything feel a lot lighter and manageable," Jake shared.

"As a man, a great woman can make you feel like you can tackle the world. I've never met anybody that could help me with that. And Aimee, it's just so natural for her."

Aimee gushed about how she also knew Jake was "The One" for her "early on" in their romance.

"I just never experienced anything like this with anyone. Jake is just so genuine. He's so kind and thoughtful, and he makes me feel so loved," Aimee told the magazine.

"He makes me feel safe, supported, secure. He just has the biggest heart. Being with him is just so easy and effortless and I just feel completely at peace with him. He just makes me the happiest I've ever been."

Aimee said she felt like she was "the luckiest girl in the world" to be Jake's partner, and Jake, in turn, said he was looking forward to building "something steady and meaningful" in his life.

"Success looks a lot different today than maybe what it did 15, 20 years ago," he noted.

Jake said he "wasn't sure" if he was ever going to get married and Aimee was "completely" worth the wait.

"You hear people talk about marriage being the best decision that they ever made, and I can clearly see it. I see exactly what they're talking about. It's very simple: Aimee makes me better as a person. She brings perspective and balance," Jake said.

RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' FRANCHISE COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER?? (PHOTOS)

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About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski

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