Inside USMNT Goalie Matt Turner's ‘Timeless, Romantic’ Wedding to Former Cheerleader Ashley Herron in Boston! (Exclusive)

Matt Turner and his wife Ashley said “I do” again – this time, with their family and friends.

After tying the knot privately in May 2022, the US men’s national team goalkeeper and former NFL cheerleader celebrated their wedding at the State Room in Boston on Friday, May 24. They hosted 215 guests, including professional football players Rob Holding, Brandon Bye, Andrew Farrell, DeJuan Jones and Henry Kessler.

The couple — who are engaged in February 2022 — tell PEOPLE that they chose the Massachusetts capital as their wedding venue because that’s where they first met and fell in love. At the time, Matt was playing for the New England Revolution, and Ashley was a member of the New England Patriots cheerleading squad.

Matt and Ashley Turner at their wedding in Boston.

Photo by Ella Farrell

“So many great memories were made in Boston,” says Ashley. “We bought our first house in Boston, which we still have today. It’s also between where both of our families live.”

For the couple, their special day was a long time coming. Although they had always dreamed of a “big wedding celebration”, Matt’s busy football career and commitments proved challenging. In addition to playing for the USMNT, Matt is a goalkeeper for English Premier League soccer club Nottingham Forest. “He’s getting some time off. Things like the World Cup took precedence – rightly so,” Ashley explains of their decision to postpone their wedding plans.

Wanting to make things official, however, they instead held a small ceremony in Boston two years ago, just before moving to London, where Matt was playing for Arsenal at the time.

USMNT star Matt Turner handed his little son to a pregnant woman in the stands: ‘He’s rooting for Dada’

Matt and Ashley Turner at their wedding in Boston.

Photo by Ella Farrell

“It was at dawn overlooking Boston Harbor in honor of our son who was about to be born. His name is Easton, which means the sun rises in the east, and for us the east coast will always be home, and sunrises always mean a new beginning.” , Ashley tells PEOPLE about their private nuptials. “It was symbolic and perfect for us.”

When the time finally came to hold their dream wedding this year, the couple planned the event around three key words: “Timeless, because love is always and forever; romantic, because we are two passionate and loving people who believe in fate and magic; and energetic, because for us it symbolizes the value of life and being surrounded by good energy,” explains Ashley.

Wanting to take advantage of the rare opportunity to get all of their loved ones together in one place, they opted for a three-day affair that began with a welcome reception at Capo in South Boston — the restaurant where Matt and Ashley first met — on Friday and ended with a farewell lunch at at the Boston Harbor Hotel on Sunday.

Ashley Turner at her wedding in Boston.

Photo by Ella Farrell

Ashley, who has a background in event planning, decided to organize all the weddings herself.

“As tempting as it was to consider hiring a planner, I wanted to have complete transparency in what was going on and be able to review contracts, negotiate and work with individuals to know exactly what to expect,” she explains before admitting, “But wedding planning from abroad and with two babies under the age of 2 definitely made the process a little more stressful. But it was my first project after having my daughter and it was fun to get back into event planning.”

Matt and Ashley Turner with their children Easton and Everley.

Photo by Ella Farrell

The couple’s top priority for the wedding was making sure their two children — Easton and daughter Everley, born in September 2023 — were an integral part of it all. “They are our lives and that influenced a lot of our decisions in the wedding process,” notes Ashley.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

During the ceremony – officiated by Matt’s childhood best friend, Vincent Macaluso, the couple exchanged handwritten vows. Ashley walked down the aisle to a piano rendition of “A Million Dreams” — her son’s favorite bedtime song — followed by an instrumental version of Taylor Swift’s “Invisible String.”

She wore a Berta Bridal Couture gown with a ball gown silhouette, sheer sleeves, an open back and details such as floral appliqués and 3D rosettes. She accessorized with a pair of Jimmy Choo crystal-encrusted satin sandals with a block heel and pearl and diamond drop earrings that her father gave her grandmother decades ago.

Matt and Ashley Turner kiss during the wedding ceremony.

Photo by Ella Farrell

In a sentimental touch, Ashley also wore a veil embroidered with the heartbeats of her son and daughter, along with a sentence in Matt’s handwriting from one of the first messages he ever wrote her.

Her hair was styled by The Bridal Bar and her bridal glam was overseen by Erica Wright of Glam Done Right.

American women’s soccer goalkeeper Casey Murphy got married: See photos from her ‘romantic winter’ wedding! (Exclusive)

For the reception, which featured floral arrangements by Market Floral Studio, Ashley changed into what she calls her “something blue,” a scoop-neck corset dress with cascading gathered layers and side pockets, designed by Victoria Salisbury.

Matt wore a Nota Bene Bespoke tuxedo with personal messages on the inside of the jacket. The athlete also wore Louboutin shoes, a Rolex watch and a Van Cleef & Arpels bracelet.

Matt and Ashley Turner arrive for their wedding.

Photo by Ella Farrell

After the reception, Matt and Ashley hosted a cocktail hour with passed hors d’oeuvres, a champagne tower provided by Chic Party Carts, and three signature cocktails including “Easton Sunrises,” featuring tequila with a splash of grenadine and orange juice.

A three-course dinner followed, with a menu that included surf and turf, roast chicken and a Mediterranean-inspired vegetarian plate. For dessert, guests enjoyed slices of a three-tiered wedding cake covered in white fondant with a cascading waterfall and pearl embellishments. The cake featured layers of vanilla with strawberry buttercream and devil’s food cake with Oreo cookie buttercream.

Ashley and Matt Turner pose for a photo with all the wedding guests.

Photo by Ella Farrell

The PEOPLE Puzzler has arrived! How fast can you solve it? Play now!

When the dance started, Ashley and Matt danced their first dance to “Your Bones” by Chelsea Cutler. During the party, guests left messages for the couple via an audio guestbook inside a replica of a red London phone booth, custom-made by Dragonfly Designs.

Matt and Ashley Turner had a champagne tower at their wedding in Boston.

Photo by Ella Farrell

Looking back on their special day, Ashley tells PEOPLE that the long-awaited wedding was everything they hoped and imagined. “It was a celebration of all the dreams that have come true so far — finding each other, having our babies, playing in the World Cup — and will continue to come true as we build this life together,” she explains.

She says she feels like the “luckiest person in the world” to have a partner as supportive as Matt. “Our relationship is built on love, trust and mutual respect. We want what’s best for each other, we communicate and respect each other,” she notes.

Matt and Ashley Turner at their wedding in Boston.

Photo by Ella Farrell

Matt tells PEOPLE he’s grateful to have a “life partner” in Ashley. “I found a person who makes me better, keeps me accountable, but also helps me have fun and enjoy life even more,” he says. “Being married is special because you are a team and you give yourself to that person intimately and completely. When you can trust someone so much, it’s an amazing feeling.”

“Obviously we’ve gone through a lot of changes in the last few years and it hasn’t always gone smoothly, but we’ve never had expectations for our partners in our heads that we haven’t expressed out loud,” he adds. “That’s a great strength of our relationship.”

The couple plan to enjoy a short honeymoon in Nantucket before Matt leaves to join the USMNT ahead of the Copa América and a busy summer schedule.

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education