Editorial Staff
Ben Foden has married his girlfriend of two weeks, Jackie Belanoff Smith, one year when splitting from partner Una Healy.
The rugby football player, 34, confirmed the news via Instagram on Tuesday, sharing a series of intimate snaps from his wedding, which happened aboard a yacht in Nantucket, Massachusetts, at the weekend.
Ben insisted Una – with whom he shares 2 children – remarkably gave her blessing for the wedding to go ahead, and told his followers that ‘beautiful, intelligent, charming and funny’ Jackie ‘swept him off his feet in an exceedingly time of hardship’.
In his reveal, he wrote: ‘People can say we are mad or maybe fools, as @snackyjax and that i had only been dating seriously for a touch over two weeks before deciding to get married. however once somebody like her comes in to your life, why would I wait?
In images from the day, Ben and his new wife were dressed in formal attire, as he donned a sharp navy shirt and a pair of slim-fitting white chino trousers.
The only guest who appeared to be in attendance at the nuptials was Jackie’s sister Leila, who Ben thanked in his post for ‘being a legend’.
Despite the minimal guest list, the sportsman insisted all ‘close family and friends’, including ex Una, were told about the wedding before it went ahead.
He also praised Jackie for being a ‘great step-mum’ to his daughter Aoife, seven, and son Tadhg, four, although it is not clear whether she has met his children yet.
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