Ashley Fonda and Alika Medeiros
08/28/2014 AT 07:45 PM EDT
When VH1 premiered its hit summer reality series Dating Naked in July, the concept – that luckless singles go on blind dates in the buff as a last ditch effort to find love – seemed hilariously far-fetched.
But despite one woman’s mortifying experience on the show, another couple has proven the formula works.
After a date in May filled with naked surfing and deep conversation, 27-year-old artist Ashley Fonda fell hard for 36-year-old yoga instructor and self-proclaimed “sexual healer” Alika Medeiros.
“We really deeply connected and he taught me things,” Fonda tells PEOPLE. “We realized we both have the flower of life tattoo. I told one of the producers, ‘I’m going to marry this man.’ “
And in a surprising twist, she did just that. Medeiros and Fonda exchanged vows in a Shaman-officiated, non-traditional ceremony at a botanical garden in Los Angeles on Aug. 6.
Ashley Fonda and Alika Medeiros
After walking down the aisle in her custom Nicholas Anthony wedding gown, “We undressed for the ceremony!” says Fonda. “As a little girl, I definitely didn’t picture having a naked wedding, but this was such a liberating experience.” Talk about a blushing bride!
And though Fonda and Medeiros’s families weren’t there for the happy occasion (Fonda says his still doesn’t know about it), all are invited to watch the wild wedding episode airing Sept. 18.
So was it all for show? “I’m truly in love with Alika,” says Fonda, “I’m so excited to see where our relationship goes and grows.”
Ashley Fonda and Alika Medeiros