Keshia Knight Pulliam follows up New Year's engagement with quiet wedding ceremony

Former The Cosby Show star Keshia Knight Pulliam has stunned fans by revealing she's a newlywed just weeks after ringing in 2016 with her engagement news.

The actress, who played Bill Cosby's youngest daughter Rudy in the hit sitcom, broke the news of her engagement to former American football star Ed Hartwell via Instagram on New Year's Day (01Jan16) - and the couple has already quietly wed.

The 36-year-old shared the news and pictures from the ceremony at her home in Georgia during her podcast Kandidly Keshia on Friday (22Jan16).

"It was my dream," she cooed. "We did it literally in our living room in our home. We come from a large family. I'm one of four, Ed is one of six. We invited people. They had no clue they were coming to a wedding. They thought they were coming to a New Year's party."

The new Mrs. Hartwell reveals she was "surrounded by flowers" at the ceremony, adding, "We always have fresh flowers in the house. There's something about it that's so inviting, so warm, so welcoming. It's kind of like a show of love."

She also gushed about her new husband, adding, "I had known Ed in passing for years. We never really connected in that way. He was married previously, I was dating someone else... He was so not on my radar.

"He came and helped with my nonprofit and that's what opened the door. I tried my best not to like him... I allowed him to show me who he was through his actions. There were so many times he would say things verbatim what I prayed for. He would speak and his priorities and the things he valued were completely in alignment with who I am... and that's when I knew it was real."