One of the reasons we watch sports is for the heartwarming moments and triumphs of the human spirit they frequently provide. Usually those revolve around thrilling victories or stunning individual performances on the field.
But for LGBTQ fans, sometimes the most uplifting occasions are those when competitors in the same sport end up becoming soulmates away from the game.
The latest instance occurred last weekend, when British field hockey players Leah Wilkinson and Holly Payne got married in Florence, Italy.
As part of their wedding announcement, Payne posted a photo to Instagram of her and Wilkinson stepping outside the venue while friends and family celebrated by tossing clouds of flower petals into the air.
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“We made it official. Couldn’t be happier to be your wife,” Payne wrote.
It was a succinct and touching way to sum up their wedding.
The couple had previously announced their engagement last summer with another Instagram post. Payne showed off her wedding ring and captioned it, “THE greatest weekend. Good job we have a lifetime to improve our selfie game. Forever you.”
For her part, Wilkinson posted a picture of Payne displaying her ring at lunch and dinner and wrote, “Can’t wait to spend forever across the table from you.”
Since getting engaged, the two hockey players have taken trips together to destinations as varied as New York City, Portugal’s Douro Valley, and Vietnam.
Wilkinson has been a major player in field hockey over the past decade, representing Wales in the Commonwealth Games four times and captaining the Welsh club since 2017.
She earned a spot on Great Britain’s national field hockey team in 2019 and helped Team GB capture a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. At the time, Wilkinson was engaged to Olympic teammate Sarah Jones but the two eventually parted ways.
Payne also has years of experience with field hockey in her native Great Britain. After spending time with the University of Birmingham and Leicester City, she currently plays for Surbiton Hockey Club in the Investec Women’s Hockey League.
While Wilkinson and Payne have each experienced exhilarating moments in their chosen sport, the look on each of their faces in their wedding photos is going to be the leading image of each of their highlight reels going forward.
