Kaley CuocoandKarl Cookmet at a horse show, and it’s been love for each other — and animals! — ever since.

“I was already involved with horses, then we happened to meet at a horse show,” theBig Bang Theorystar, 33, told PEOPLE at the unveiling ofMarshall’s Surprise Boxin New York City’s Tribeca neighborhood last month. “It was totally meant to be. We were pretty much a good match from the beginning.”

“We share so much love for animals — we love horses and we love the sport,” added Cuoco (who partnered with the department store to bring“surprise boxes”filled with affordable products to Marshall’s locations across the country).

The couple instantly hit it off after meeting in 2016, but Cuoco says seeing Cook, 28, interact with horses strengthened their connection.

Kaley Cuoco/Instagram

Kaley Cuoco

Source: Kaley cuoco/Instagram

kaley-cuoco

“I think anyone who works with animals has to have a kind soul,” the actress tells PEOPLE. “It’s almost like he’s the horse whisperer. He is just wonderful with them. It’s really beautiful to see that patience he has with them … he’s so gentle.”

Kaley Cuoco/ Instagram

Kaley Cuoco

“Must love dogs is No. 1,” she toldUS Weeklyin 2017. “[Cook] checked that off quite quickly.”

And luckily, Cook’s bulldog named Tank seems to fit right in with his new brothers and sisters.

“The adventures of Tank-Berry,” Cuoco captioned a sweet Instagram photo of her pup, Blueberry, posing with Tank.

The animal loverstied the knotlast year in an intimate wedding at a horse stable near San Diego, California.

Cuoco and Cook delivered their own wedding vows, which had the bride both laughing and wiping tears from her cheeks, as a guest showed in an Instagram video.

Kaley Cuoco

“I love you both so much,” Briana said before joking about how she took an online course to officiate the wedding, making Cuoco kneel over laughing.

Once pronounced husband and wife, the crowd cheered as the couple leaned in for their first kiss as newlyweds.

The couple got engaged on Cuoco’s birthday inNovember 2017after dating for nearly two years.

source: people.com