Brenden Aaronson’s Jersey Shore wedding was just one stop in a wild pre-World Cup schedule
“It was a whirlwind of days, but also a really amazing whirlwind of days that I’m never going to ever forget," the Medford native said as he got back on the field at U.S. training camp.
FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. — The itinerary went something like this: Leeds to London round-trip, then Manchester, England; New York; Atlanta; the Jersey Shore; Philadelphia; and back to the U.S. men’s soccer team’s World Cup training camp, all in just over a week.
But it was worth every moment for the newly married Brenden Aaronson; the Jersey Shore stop was for his Friday wedding to longtime partner, Milana D’Ambra. His club, Leeds United, finished clear of relegation in England’s Premier League; his national team is getting ready for its biggest-ever World Cup; and one of his hands now has a ring on it.
“I can go on and on about the travel and how long it was,” the Medford native said in his first sit-down with the media since the big moment last Friday. “It was a whirlwind of days, but also a really amazing whirlwind of days that I’m never going to ever forget. So it was really special.”
The wedding took place in Manahawkin, just before the bridge to Long Beach Island. Aaronson’s family has visited that famed stretch of the Shore for many years.
“We had a small venue there that we really liked, and it was perfect,” he said.
Aaronson proposed to D’Ambra in the summer of 2024, and the venue was booked at around the same time. The families knew they’d be cutting it close to the World Cup, but Aaronson expected back then that the report date would be June 1 of this year, FIFA’s deadline for setting World Cup rosters.
In fact, as he noted, current U.S manager Mauricio Pochettino wasn’t in the job yet when the plans were set. Everything happened in the months between Gregg Berhalter’s departure after the Copa América and Mauricio Pochettino’s arrival in the fall.
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The venue, though, was a different story. Shore places get booked way out, and even a World Cup isn’t likely to make them budge.
“Seeing the bank account after it was a bit rough,” Aaronson quipped.
He first met D’Ambra when they were 16, introduced by a mutual friend, and they started dating a few months later. She grew up in Sewell and went to Washington Township High School and played soccer at Temple.
Injuries ended her playing days early, but she graduated from Temple’s Barnett College of Public Health in December 2022.
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The good husband he is, he had lots of praise for D’Ambra’s willingness to accommodate it all when word arrived that camp would start before the wedding. They found out that part last December, and were “freaking out,” as he put it.
“Because you put so much time and effort into —,” he said, then corrected himself: “I mean, she put so much time in, let’s be honest. She put so much time and effort into doing the wedding.”
The length of their relationship is something Aaronson particularly cherishes, even as the long distance means she flies to England much more than he flies home.
“It’s not easy to be leaving on a wedding night, but she’s been with me since the beginning,” he said. “She knows how many days that we’ve been through doing all the football stuff. And for her to be as cool as she is. It’s amazing.”
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Aaronson raised the subject with U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino in March. He had no idea how the boss would respond, since he wasn’t assured of a World Cup roster spot.
“I wanted to give it to him ahead of time,” Aaronson said. “I told him I’m completely OK with moving my wedding. … I’ll do whatever I can to be on this roster.”
It turned out that Pochettino was happy to make room.
“Being able to have a conversation with the coach, being able to go into his office, it’s open and he’s very good at those kinds of conversations,” Aaronson said. “He’s a human being, too, so he knows that it’s not easy being a footballer. And, yeah, I just think it was really an easy conversation to have with him, and it was just really nice.”
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When the time came, Aaronson left after Thursday’s practice, got married on Friday, then barely slept before heading off to the Philadelphia airport for an early-morning flight back to Atlanta. He was on the field on schedule when Saturday’s practice kicked off.
“It happens,” Aaronson said. “I’m very lucky that I got to go and spend that day, and I’m really grateful to the coaching staff for that. It was an amazing day for myself, but I’m really ready to get back to work and get ready for the World Cup.”
Living in England, Aaronson doesn’t get to see his family much unless they come to him. That happens a few times a year, but it’s usually his parents and Milana. So the rest of the extended family is far away, as is D’Ambra’s side. The wedding was a rare chance to see them all.
“I mean, she’s in an Italian family — of course she has a lot of cousins, a lot of people that I’ve never met before because I’m never around for the holidays,” Aaronson said. So for me it was really cool to be meeting everybody, to get to know everybody, because I’ve heard a lot about them, they’ve probably heard a lot about me. So to finally meet them in person, it was really special.”
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The D’Ambras have their own soccer history, too. Milana’s father, Don, a Philadelphia native, was a star player and coach for the Philadelphia Kixx of the defunct Major Indoor Soccer League from 1996 to 2007 and again as a player-coach in 2009 and 2010. He then was the head coach of the St. Joseph’s men’s varsity team from 2010 to 2024.
But the wedding was about the stars of that day: no special themes, and from the look of it, not many phones out. There aren’t any photos on social media.
“I’m sure that there was probably some soccer talk going on behind the scenes, but it was just for me and Milana to just enjoy our day, and we did, for sure,” Aaronson said.
He also thanked his U.S. teammates for the congratulations they gave along the way.
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“For us to have our day, and for them to support it like they always have, it’s really special,” he said. “They’ve known Milana for so long now, it’s the craziest thing. I think to be able to spend it in that way, but I think also mentally for myself, you know — it was a great couple of days and I still think about it when I’m off the pitch. But I’m ready to get back on it and work, and get ready for the World Cup.”
Nine nations will compete in five group stage matches this summer, plus two more in a knockout game on July 4. Here’s what you need to know about those countries — and what those fans need to know about Philly. Click here for more.
