Sam and Ian in Babette and Camille
Sam wears Babette and Camille to marry Ian at the very bar where it all began, surrounded by friends, family and a cold Coors Light.
One Night in Venice
Sam and Ian’s love story started at Hinano Cafe in Venice on April 19th, 2025. Sitting at the bar, a boy in a green and white striped hat asked if he could buy her a drink. Sam’s reply was simple: a Coors Light bottle. A few (or a lot) more beers later, Ian asked her to dinner, and the pair Irish goodbyed and walked down to Hama Sushi for their first date.
They talked for hours, dove straight into the big questions and laughed the whole way down Venice to Windward. Sam knew then. On May 1st she texted her best friend, “I think I’m gonna marry this man.”
A Courthouse Plan and a Surprise Announcement
Sam already knew the dress she wanted hanging in her closet in case a courthouse-wedding outfit was ever needed, so she booked an appointment at our Venice boutique. That same night, on a movie date to see The Odyssey at the Chinese Theatre, the couple stopped for drinks at Yamashiro and found themselves planning a courthouse wedding and a surprise “we’re married” announcement. They even settled on a date.
Back at their Hollywood Hills hotel, with Modern Family on and a glass of wine in hand, Sam thought Ian was getting out of bed to go to the bathroom. Instead, he got down on one knee. There was no ring and no big production, just the two of them.
“With tears coming down he said the most beautiful things and ended with ‘will you marry me.’ Obviously I said YES!” Sam shared.
Real Bride Sam in Babette, Chantilly Gloves and Cartier Veil
Real Bride Sam in Camille
Married at Hinano Cafe
On October 19th, 2026, Sam and Ian married at Hinano Cafe, in the same spot where they first met.
The day started at the Marriott in Marina del Rey, a block from home, where Sam was invited up to the rooftop bar to exchange private vows. She arrived to a pop of champagne, 100 roses and “She’s Everything” playing from a mini speaker. From there, an Uber black took the bridal party down the road to Hinano’s, with Sam’s girls singing “we’re going to Hinano’s and we’re gonna get married” the whole way.
Sam walked through the side door under the Coors Light neon, down an aisle between two newly felted pool tables with sawdust under her boots. Seeing Ian brought “the biggest smile, laugh and WHOOHOO you’ve ever seen and heard.” They said “I do” with a “100 percent” from Sam and a “1000 percent” from Ian, then toasted with a Coors Light bottle, of course.
When their celebrant reached “and now the vows,” Sam looked her in the eye and said they could skip those. The whole bar laughed, and Ian thanked her for saving him. Their private vows were exactly that, private. After the ceremony came a game of billiards and Ian and his friends serenading the bride with “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling.”
Sam has always felt that a wedding should be all about the couple. Hinano’s is a place they can keep going back to for a cold one, a place their community backed them, and where friends and family can return to remember the day.
Babette, then Camille
“The moment I put Babette on, I cried. I saw myself and said I’m marrying the man of my dreams in this dress.” With her sheer layers, beading and lace, Babette was made for a bride who wants to be seen, and Sam wore it with total confidence.
For her second look, Sam switched into Camille, a mini dress with plenty of attitude. Cut from our exclusive corded lace, she has long sleeves and a low V-neckline, and she’s layered with sequins, beads and shimmer fabric that catch the light with every move. It was a perfect match for a bride who skipped the formalities, played billiards in her wedding dress and made the dive bar her aisle.
Advice for future brides
"I wouldn’t do a single thing different. My advice for other Grace brides is to stick to what make sense for you. Be true to what you love and don’t worry about pleasing other people or family. Especially when it comes to a good sheer moment if that is you.
Looking back, the day goes by so quick, enjoy every moment between you and your new partner."
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