On Canada Day in July, Queen's soccer stars Henry Bloemen and Jessie De Boer were married in true Kingston fashion. Their wedding day included a wedding guest scrimmage on Tindall field and a beautiful ceremony at the Isabel Bader Centre, both located on the Queen's campus where their love story began.
Jessie and Henry's paths first crossed at a social event during their inaugural year at Queen's University way back in 2011. The two naturally gravitated towards each other, bonding over their shared interests and involvement in varsity soccer. As dedicated teammates, they found themselves at the same
student-athlete events and eventually became close friends.
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Jessie de Boer started off her Queen's athletic career with a bang, as the Gaels team won both the National and Conference Championships during her first year. Her outstanding performance earned her the
well-deserved title of Female Rookie of the Year, a testament to her dedication and undeniable skill.
At the same time, Henry Bloemen had established himself as a force to be reckoned with on the Men's team and earned recognition as an Ontario University Athletics (OUA) All-Star in his second, third, and fourth year with the team, and his outstanding talent on the field made him a respected figure in the Queen's sports community.
It wasn't until their second year of university that their relationship took a romantic turn. While the two were dating, both their soccer careers flourished, as Jessie was a team captain during her final years at Queen's and named an All-Canadian in 2014.
Jessie and Henry have been together since the fall of 2012, and they both decided to get married in the city where it all began. Their wedding was in July at the Isabel Bader Centre, an academic building on Queen's Campus.
"We spent a lot of time there, and our friends have spent a lot of time there as well so they were excited to be back and enjoying Kingston again," said Jessie.
As a unique start to their wedding day, the couple, joined by their wedding guests, kicked off the morning with a game of soccer on Tindall Field. It was a fitting tribute to their shared love for the sport and a fun way to begin their journey as a married couple.
"We had to work around my hair schedule, so we did it at 9:30 in the morning. We had about 40 people playing and 20 people watching, and it was open to anyone attending our wedding," said Jessie.
"We had some people that played with us at Queen's playing, we had our friends playing, and aunts, uncles, my mom… we played for about an hour and a half".
Jessie and Henry were featured in several Queen's Athletics graphics, including the design on the varsity locker room doors at Richardson Stadium. As a thoughtful wedding gift from the university, the couple received these old doors, which had been replaced during the stadium's recent renovation. This gift symbolizes their shared history as athletes and a reminder of where their journey began.
The couple now lives in Toronto but are still very involved in their local soccer community, playing in adult leagues and coaching middle school students.
"We'll probably be involved in soccer in different ways for a long foreseeable future," said Jessie.
The two also remain involved with the Queen's University Varsity soccer teams and enjoy being active members of the athlete alum group.
"We go to all the alumni events when they're in Toronto, and we do come back to Kingston to watch the games at the new stadium," said Henry.
Henry and Jessie's love story, from student-athletes to married couples, exemplifies the strength and connection that comes from shared passions. Their legacy at Queen's is a testament to the remarkable bond they've built together, which will certainly last a lifetime.
