How Jenny McCarthy's Son Made Her Wedding to Donnie Wahlberg Special

The star married Donnie Wahlberg in August

Updated on December 8, 2020 10:55AM EST

The best man at this wedding wasn’t standing by the groom’s side.

When Jenny McCarthy said “I do” to Donnie Wahlberg on Aug. 31, her 12-year-old son, Evan, had a very special role: walking her down the aisle.

“He came up to me and said, ‘I have the most important job at the wedding, and I said ‘You do,’ and then the time came where he walked in the door in his little tuxedo,” McCarthy, 41, told PEOPLE on Tuesday night at The Skylark in New York City for the launch of Courvoisier s Exceptional Journey campaign event.

“Donnie helped him get dressed, and then he met me and said, ‘You ready?’ ” the proud mom continued. “He put out his little arm, and we walked down the aisle, and the officiator said, ‘Who’s giving away this girl?’ And he raised his arm, ‘I am.’ ”

Though that touching moment was part of the plan, Evan surprised her later at the reception with a “beautiful, spontaneous toast.”

“He grabbed the microphone and said, ‘Can I say a few words?’ ” she said. “He was like, ‘I love my stepdad, I’m so glad for my mom, we’re going to make a great family.’ And it was really beautiful.”

For the comedian and Dirty, Sexy, Funny SiriusXM radio host, the best part about being the new bride on the block is seeing Wahlberg as a father figure.

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“I knew who I was marrying, but what was surprising to me was how much Evan appreciated it and loved it so much, and I could tell that he had a comfort level of safety now in the house,” she said.

“I didn’t realize, as a little boy growing up with just a mom, there’s some fear associated with a little boy feeling like he has to guard the house at a very young age, and I think Donnie coming in, he had a sense of security that he’d never seen before.”