People April 7th 2012
Shannen Doherty's new reality show Shannen Says chronicles one of the most stressful and anxiety-ridden times in a couple's life – the wedding-planning process.

But now, nearly six months after marrying photographer Kurt Iswarienko, the actress says newlywed life is all that it's cracked up to be.

"Things couldn't be better. Married life is amazing, and I can only say that because of my partner, because of Kurt," Doherty, 40, told PEOPLE Thursday on a conference call with reporters to promote her new show.

"He woke up this morning and went surfing and it's the little things – it's when he comes home, and the first thing he does is comes in my office and wraps his arms around me and says, 'I love you, I missed you,' even though he was only gone for two hours."

"It's a relationship I've dreamed about my entire life, and it's the closest thing that I've ever had to what my parents had, which was so unbelievably beautiful and special," said Doherty. "So, married life is phenomenal."

Of course, it also takes place in the real world, fights and all. "It's not all roses and rainbows and butterflies," she says of their relationship as it's depicted on the new series. "It is a real, honest relationship."

Doherty has been married twice before, to Ashley Hamilton and Rick Salomon, and both were short-lived unions. But as the actress told PEOPLE in 2010, she has great faith in the institution.

"I believe in marriage as a whole because my parents were married for 43 years, so I have the best example in the world of what marriage can be," she said.

"Marriage to me is such a gigantic commitment that it's not something I'd ever go into lightly anymore," she added. "I've learned my lesson."

Shannen Says premieres Tuesday, April 10, at 10 p.m. ET on WEtv.