'She Makes Me a Better Person' (Exclusive)

The couple said “I do” at a French chateau on June 24: “I knew when I first started dating Amy that I wanted to marry her,” Pickett tells PEOPLE

<p style= — John Bacolo – Gabelli Studio

Steelers QB Kenny Pickett marries Amy Paternoster at Pleasantdale Chateau in New Jersey on June 24, 2023

Kenny Pickett has a new reason to celebrate this offseason!

The Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback, 25, married Amy Paternoster in a “fairytale party” at Pleasantdale Chateau in New Jersey on Saturday. “She makes me a better person,” Pickett tells PEOPLE exclusively.

The NFL player proposed to his girlfriend back in January 2022 before the Steelers drafted him in April. At the time, the couple was looking at wedding venues in New Jersey and immediately “fell in love” with Pleasantdale Chateau.

“It was a jaw-dropping fairytale place when you walk in,” says Paternoster. “So we knew we had to have it.”

The couple took inspiration from the castle’s history to create their special day. “The owner moved from France and settled in New Jersey,” explains Paternoster. “He ended up shipping the wood from his house in France to New Jersey piece by piece, so that was definitely the theme we wanted to play into. It’s a summer wedding, so definitely bright, summery, French-themed!”

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The couple, who plan to honeymoon in Puerto Rico, exchanged personal vows in a Christian ceremony in front of their 275 guests. Their mothers lit unity candles in the garden before the bride and groom lit their own candles. They also offered several songs during the ceremony, including “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” which played as Paternoster walked down the aisle while Steelers chaplain Kent Chevalier officiated.

“We’re super close with our friends who have been with us our whole lives, so we definitely wanted everyone there to celebrate,” says Paternoster. “As we’ve both grown up in the sports world, especially more with Kenny with Pittsburgh and football, he’s made great friendships along the way, as have I. It was important for us to take core people from every stage of our lives and have them there to celebrate with us.”

Paternoster’s wedding dress was created by the designer Power Lahav. “I looked at designers who looked like her and put together my top 3 bridal designers,” she says. “Then I looked at bridal shops near where I grew up on the Jersey Shore. They were all really beautiful, but when I heard that Galia Lahav was having a trunk show in New York City, I knew I had to go off I took my mom to their flagship store and Bridal reflections on Fifth Ave where I found the dress.”

During cocktail hour, a mixologist prepared specialty cocktails at the 16-foot Don Julio tequila tasting bar, where they also had a Steelers ice sculpture and a marlin ice sculpture above the lobster bar. The newly married couple also had a live artist Cody Sable Art painting them during the reception while the flowers were over Debbie’s designs.

During the reception, guests ate a wide variety of food options. “We have everything you can think of,” says Paternoster. “Sushi bar, raw bar, lobster bar, Italian station, pasta station, rib-eye carving station, and an ahi tuna loin station. On my mom’s side, I’m Cuban, so we also have an old Cuban dish called Ropa Vieja.”

At the after party, three rounds of desserts were offered to guests, plus gourmet food trucks for late night snacks including a homemade pizza, gourmet burger truck, gourmet taco stations and desserts including churros and tres leches Oreos.

Pickett and Paternoster have a shared love of sports, which originally brought them together years ago. “We trained at the same place growing up because Amy played soccer and I played soccer,” Pickett explains.

“We started training at this place when I was about 12 years old and Amy was maybe 10, so I knew her growing up from there. We never spoke and then she went to Princeton and I went to Pitt. We came home one college break and saw each other at a party and hit it off.”

The couple began dating in February 2021 and later became engaged on January 22, 2022.

“I knew when I started dating Amy that I wanted to marry her,” says Pickett. Now that the day is here, it’s really special to get to spend the rest of your life with the person who means the world to you.”

Ahead of the wedding, Paternoster said she couldn’t wait to officially become husband and wife. “As cheesy as it sounds, I can’t wait to marry him and have that moment between us. Of course the party will be great to celebrate with your loved ones, but you only get married once and go through the ceremony once so I see looking forward to having that moment with Kenny.”

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‘She Makes Me a Better Person’ (Exclusive)

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