The U.S Women’s team has more than their fourth World Cup championship title to celebrate this year—on December 28 the team traded in their cleats for heels to celebrate the marriage of two teammates, Ali Krieger and Ashlyn Harris. The couple exchanged vows in Miami at Vizcaya Museum and Gardens.
The teammates started dating in 2010 and according to Harris, the sparks started flying on the long bus and plane rides to soccer games/events. In an interview with People Magazine, she explained “We kind of just talked about our dreams and our hopes and what we wanted to do one day when we grew up. Because at the time, we were kids.”
Harris popped the question at Clearwater Beach nine months before the wedding. The pair had been posing for a beach picture, but much to Krieger’s surprise, Harris was holding the ring behind her.
Despite being together for a whole decade, Harris and Krieger only recently decided to make their relationship public. The decision to keep their partnership out of the public eye was due in part to their desire to focus on their careers but they were also in fear of losing endorsements and not being accepted.
Putting the fears behind them, they walked side by side down the aisle. To celebrate their sexuailty, the couple chose a rainbow wedding cake and seated guests at tables named after legends from the LGBTQ community such as Ellen Degenres, Billie Jean King and Harvey Milk.
Harris was overwhelmed by positive support support, sharing “to be celebrated for love and acceptance and inclusion, that’s so major in the world we live in now.”
Fans and allies alike applaud their happiness and wish them well.