Nick Lachey, Vanessa Minnillo surprise friends with wedding

After a whirlwind courtship of only five years, Jessica Simpson’s ex-husband Nick Lachey and his new love Vanessa Minnillo surprised family and friends yesterday by getting married.

The pair met while making Nick’s ‘What’s Left of Me’ video in 2006. He finally asked Vanessa to marry him in November but the pair have been coy about an actual date.

Late yesterday Nick’s publicist confirmed that 35 friends and family members got airline tickets and instructions on packing, then were flown to a tiny strip of sand called Necker Island, which is north-west of Hawaii to witness the wedding.

“Our invitations were in the form of a plane ticket,” says Nick, 37. “We told them they were going away and the attire was ‘Island chic.’ It was all very vague. Nobody even knew where they were going.”

And the new couple clearly have life already planned:

“For us, this is just a stepping stone to do what we ultimately want and that’s to start a family together,” Minnillo assures us.

Vanessa wore a two-piece Monique Lhuillier ensemble, while Nick sported a Dolce & Gabbana suit. The whole event was also filmed for a reality special and will be broadcast by TLC on July 30th.

“We’re lucky to have such passionate and loving fans, and we thought partnering with TLC would be the best way to share the journey we’re on with all those who support us and our relationship,” the new bride and groom said in a statement released by the channel.

And as you’ll remember, Nick has been there before – His 2003 marriage to Simpson was covered by MTV in a ‘docu-soap’ called “Newlyweds.”

So J-Lo and Marc Anthony have just broken up – do you these two can avoid the same fate? – Let’s hear your input…

Yahoo