Former WWE stars Amanda Saccomanno and Sabby Piscitelli are married! (Exclusive)

Former WWE stars Amanda Saccomanno and Sabatino “Sabby” Piscitelli have traded the wrestling ring for wedding bands!

The couple married on Saturday, November 2 in the Park Chateau Estate & Gardens in East Brunswick, NJ, joined by 215 guests including former NFL linebacker Ray Lewis, MMA fighter Rashad Evans and fellow WWE wrestlers Sonya Deville, CJ Perry, Indi Hartwell, Cora Jade, Jacy Jayne and Roxanne Perez.

Saccomanno, who performed under the ring name Mandy Rose, tells PEOPLE that she looked forward to her wedding day for as long as she could remember and always had big visions for her big day. “I dreamed of walking down the aisle, I made Pinterest boards and vision boards — you name it,” she says.

But when it came to planning her wedding to Piscitelli, she found herself focused on one simple goal. “I realized that what really matters is that the people we are surrounded by at our wedding are the ones who are absolutely the most important to us. Life is too short and we should cherish these special moments because we only have one life to live, “the Total divas alum explains.

To make the most of the rare opportunity to have all their loved ones together in one place, Saccomanno and Piscitelli, who worked with the event planner Margaret Rose – opted for “a long weekend celebrating our love and bringing both our families and friends together,” says the bride.

The festivities started on Friday evening with an intimate welcome dinner, followed by a cocktail reception in the Orchard terrace at the Chateau Grande Hotel. The wedding ceremony, which was officiated by Father John O’Sullivan, took place at the Park Chateau on Saturday.

For her walk down the aisle, the bride wore a dress from Dream Couture Laura’s Boutique & Bridal Fashion in Carmel, NY, along with “a beautiful couture headpiece.” Bridal styles in Brooklyn, NY Saccomanno later changed into another Dream Couture dress — which was a total surprise to her from boutique owner Laura Rudovic — for the afterparty.

Saccomanno says working with Rudovic came full circle because she has a special bond with her store. “Laura is an amazing designer in the town where my father owned a deli for over thirty years, so I like to support small businesses,” she explains.

Veronica Anahella styled Saccomanno’s hair, while MUA Lisa G. Beauty oversaw her wedding day glamor.

To complement their formal venue, Saccomanno and Piscitelli — who first met in 2015 and got engaged in September 2022 — opted for a “French Castle” theme with the decor, opting for a “feminine fall color palette of mauve, nude, soft blush and white tones. Florist Peonies to paint chips filled the space with beautiful flower arrangements, and Socially scripted created custom signage and stationery.

After a cocktail hour with live music by a jazz trio, the bridal couple and their guests enjoyed an extensive dinner with a burrata salad with aged balsamic vinaigrette, as well as beef chateaubriand, Chilean sea bass and chicken chateau.

The couple opted for a five-tier wedding cake from Staten Island bakery Vincenzo Salvatore with three different flavors: classic black and white, vanilla-honey-ginger-mascarpone and chocolate-hazelnut-espresso. The cake was decorated with a waterfall of handmade sugar flowers and lace details.

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Throughout her wedding day, Saccomanno added several special touches to show her love for her family. In honor of her older brother Richie, who died two years ago, she set up a memorial table and “reserved seating” during the ceremony. “Richie was on our minds and in our thoughts, but we know he was there in spirit,” Saccomanno said.

During her father-daughter dance, she surprised her father by displaying sentimental home videos and photos on a projection screen. “I’m the youngest girl (in a family with) three brothers, so I’ll always be ‘daddy’s little girl,’” says Saccomanno, co-founder of the beauty skincare line. Amarose.

Instead of traditionally throwing a bouquet, the bride presented the flowers to her mother.

During the reception Manhattanan 11-piece band from the Jordan Khan Music Companyperformed and got everyone dancing. Saccomanno and Piscitelli – who spent several years in the NFL in addition to his WWE stint – shared their first dance as husband and wife for Johannes Legend‘Nervous’.

Looking back on their wedding experience, Saccomanno says, “It was all worth the wait.”

“Sabby and I have been through a lot together, and many of our family and friends at WWE know firsthand how we have had many trials and tribulations,” she explains. “But God knew we belonged together, so in the end it was meant to be, and I know it sounds cliché, but ‘everything happens for a reason.’ ”

Piscitelli tells PEOPLE that “marrying the love of my life was a dream come true,” noting the many qualities he admires in his wife. “I love her passion, determination and the similar morals and values ​​we share,” he says. “Mandy is such a strong, independent woman that I immediately fell in love with and knew she was the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.”

After a honeymoon in the Maldives, the couple is looking forward to continuing their life together – and that includes “having babies,” says Saccomanno.

“We are ready to take that next step and start a family,” she shares. “We have both been through a lot during our professional sports careers, so we have sacrificed a lot over the years that we now know was all worth it for the life we ​​live together today.”

“The sky is the limit for both of us,” Piscitelli adds.