Sophia Bush’s secret wedding to Ashlyn Harris is finally out in the open. The One Tree Hill star revealed in a new Vogue interview published Wednesday that she and the retired soccer star quietly tied the knot in the summer of 2025 — more than a year before telling the public.
News of the Sophia Bush secret wedding arrives alongside her debut memoir, And I Will Tell You Mine: Notes from a Life in Progress. In both the book and the accompanying joint interview, the actress opens up about why the couple chose a private celebration over a star-studded affair.
A Private Upstate New York Ceremony
The wedding took place at a private property in upstate New York with a deliberately small guest list. The most important attendees were Harris’s two children, 5-year-old Sloane and 4-year-old Ocean, whom she shares with her former wife, fellow soccer star Ali Krieger.
Ashlyn Harris with the U.S. women’s national team. Photo: Jamie Smed / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
Harris recalled a day built around family rather than formalities. “The kids were just running and happy, and we picked flowers from the property and our daughter Sloane was holding them,” she told Vogue. “It was so fun for them, because it wasn’t this pressure-filled day that’s too much for young kids.”
Instead of a lavish reception, the newlyweds ended the night roasting marshmallows with their family. “It was so precious, and zero pressure,” Harris added. “I will never forget it, and I think wedding days sometimes aren’t like that.” The announcement was covered by outlets including Parade and Just Jared, both citing the Vogue exclusive.
Why Sophia Bush Kept the Secret Wedding Quiet
So why wait over a year to share the news? For Bush, the answer comes down to protecting what matters most. She described fame as “such a privilege,” but one that “comes with certain costs” — including an audience for every birth, breakup, and milestone.
“When you get to this stage in your life, you begin to unpack what’s yours and what’s always sort of been for everyone else,” Bush explained. She pointed to the parallel pressures she and Harris have lived under: “You’ve been playing in stadiums in front of 60,000 people since you were 15 or 16, and I started playing a character for tens of millions of people when I was 21.”
Sophia Bush at Collision 2017. Photo: Collision Conf / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
Rather than making a public announcement, the couple traveled across the country after the ceremony to tell friends and family in person. As a result, everyone they loved heard the news face to face before the rest of the world found out. While some celebrity couples opt for lavish, headline-grabbing celebrations, Bush and Harris went in the opposite direction.
Sophia Bush and Ashlyn Harris’s Love Story
Bush and Harris have been together for three years. They first stepped out publicly at the Elton John AIDS Foundation’s Academy Awards viewing party in March 2024, followed by an appearance at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner that April.
The following month, Bush opened up about the relationship in a Glamour cover story, publicly identifying as queer for the first time. She has also pushed back on speculation about the timeline, saying claims that the romance began before her previous marriage ended were misrepresented.
Ashlyn Harris in action for Orlando Pride. Photo: Jamie Smed / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
Bush was previously married twice — first to her One Tree Hill co-star Chad Michael Murray, and later to businessman Grant Hughes. Harris, a retired goalkeeper and two-time FIFA Women’s World Cup champion with the U.S. women’s national team, was previously married to Krieger. Both women have also been active in LGBTQ+ advocacy and serve on the board of the Human Rights Campaign.
Harris told Vogue that visibility played a role in their decision to finally go public, noting that it matters to young people who may not yet feel represented.
The Memoir Behind the Reveal
The timing is no accident. And I Will Tell You Mine: Notes from a Life in Progress — reportedly nearly a decade in the making — gave Bush a natural moment to share the story on her own terms. According to Out.com, the memoir includes her full account of the relationship and the wedding.
Ultimately, though, the decision was personal. Bush admitted she was simply tired of introducing Harris as her “partner” at events and in interviews. Turning to her wife during the joint interview, she said: “You’re not my partner, you know? You’re my wife. And it feels so amazing to say that.”
For more on how other stars have celebrated — from intimate gatherings to over-the-top affairs — see our roundup of the most expensive celebrity weddings of all time and Dove Cameron and Damiano David’s recent Italian wedding.
What do you think — is keeping a wedding completely private the ultimate power move, or would you want the big celebration? Let us know in the comments.