‘Bachelor’ Couple Kaity Biggar, Zach Shallcross Throw Wedding Celebration (Exclusive)

Five months after marrying in an intimate ceremony, Kaity Biggar and Zach Shallcross threw a big party to celebrate — with their Bachelor Nation family in the house.

The couple, who met and got engaged on season 27 of The Bachelor in 2023, tied the knot at Chapel Dulcinea in Austin, Texas, on May 23, with just seven family members as witnesses. Then, on Nov. 15, they invited around 100 of their loved ones to join them for a day of celebrating in Austin.

The festivities kicked off with a welcome party at Urban Pickleball Club from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. A celebration at Tiger Lilly, a private event space and cocktail lounge, began at 7 p.m. and went late into the night.

When planning the bash, the couple envisioned “a giant party” that would bring all their friends and family together in one room, Biggar, 30, tells PEOPLE.

“We had a very intimate wedding with only immediate family. So this was our time to celebrate our marriage with all our loved ones,” she says.

The guest list included a number of Bachelor and Bachelorette alums, among them Joey Graziadei and fiancée Kelsey Anderson, Charity Lawson and fiancé Dotun Olubeko, Gabriella Elnicki, Caila Quinn Burrello, Nate Mitchell, Susie Evans, Jenna Palek and Connor Saeli. Also in attendance were Bachelor in Paradise stars Kathy Swarts, Kylee Russell and Aven Jones, as well as actresses Christy Carlson Romano and Leven Rambin.

Biggar says she and Shallcross, 29, wanted a venue with floor-to-ceiling windows and “a fun and lively environment” — and they found that at Tiger Lilly, which is located in the heart of downtown Austin.

Delicious food was also a top priority for the event. “I feel like when people walk away from a party, they always remember the food and if the music was good — so those were the most important,” Biggar says, noting they worked with Word of Mouth Catering. “And of course we needed an open bar!”

For the occasion, Biggar wore Pronovias’ Genc dress, a short, strapless lace style with glittery embroidered tulle and beads. She and Shallcross shared their first dance to “Simply the Best” by Noah Reid.

Looking back on the night, Biggar tells PEOPLE it was “a dream come true.” But the best part of it all, she says, is having Shallcross by her side as her husband.

“We are both so excited that we get to go through life as best friends and tackle all life’s challenges and wins that get thrown our way,” she says. “And we cannot wait to have kids in the near future! We are looking at the fall of 2026 to start growing our family.”

In the meantime, they are looking forward to enjoying a honeymoon in Italy.

Biggar previously opened up about her and Shallcross’ decision to marry in a small and simple ceremony. During a March 19 appearance on the Bachelor Happy Hour podcast, she explained that once they got an idea of how much a wedding would cost — they were quoted $70,000 to $80,000 — the couple decided on something simple instead.

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“And then we’ll have a huge party later down the road,” Biggar recalled suggesting to Shallcross. “And he honestly lit up when I said that. Because it wasn’t his idea. He’s like, ‘If you want the big wedding, we’ll do it. If you want the small wedding, whatever you want.’ And I was like, ‘This is what I want,’ and he’s like, ‘Hell yeah.’ “