Zach Bryanthe new bride, Samantha Leonardfound a sweet way to honor her late mother, Annette DeAnn Bryan (née Mullen), on the couple’s wedding day.
“Samantha went out of her way to put the lace from my mom’s wedding dress on her dress and I cried for a long time. I wanted to say so much love, thank you,” the country music star, 29, said via her Instagram Stories on Monday, Jan. 5, sharing a look at the fabric with delicate piping and a floral border that was placed on her wife’s dress.
“I wish you were here, she’s beautiful now,” she later captioned a follow-up slide of Annette, showing the piece her mother wore on her big day. She completed her look with a stunning white veil and delicate necklace.
Annette died in August 2016, with Zach mourning her loss in a heartfelt post.
“My mom was my best friend, I’d call her every morning at 6 a.m. on the way to work, and she’d call me every night after practice and say, ‘Well how many miles did you do today?’ She knew me better than I knew myself and better than anyone will ever know me,” she wrote via Instagram at the time. “She has kept me out of a lot of trouble and was always my shelter from the rain. There are many platitudes I could say, and a long list of reasons why I loved her, but I’ll save the novel.”
The “Pink Skies” hitmaker described his mother as a “beautiful woman, with a beautiful heart full of kind words and smiles that she happily shared with me,” adding: “Every memory and every moment is embedded in my soul.”
Country rocker Zach Bryan’s worthy songwriting has fans curious about the real-life love stories that inspired them. Bryan’s career took off after the 2022 release of his album American Heartbreak, his first record with a major label. He previously left DeAnn and Elisabeth in 2019 and 2020, respectively, cementing their place in the industry (…)
He also paid tribute through his music by naming his first studio album, DeAnn.
Zach is basking in newlywed bliss afterward sending the rumor into overdrive when video emerged of the musician carrying Leonard, 28, in his arms after what appeared to be a romantic wedding in Spain.
He later confirmed the news on Dec. 31, sharing a black-and-white photo of the couple leaving the venue while giving a first look at her strapless white wedding dress with a feather hemline. The crooner, for his part, wore a tuxedo for the momentous occasion.
Country superstar Zach Bryan and Barstool Sports podcaster Brianna LaPaglia, a.k.a. Brianna Chickenfry, had a hot, intense relationship before splitting in the fall of 2024. The couple met in May 2023, when LaPaglia, a Bryan fan, attended the Academy of Country Music Awards and took a photo with Bryan. That same month, the (…)
The lovebirds were first linked romantically in August 2025, a year after their split Brianna “Chickenfry” LaPagliawhom he dated from summer 2023 to fall 2024.
In October 2025, she opened up about her new love via Instagram, writing: “From bullfighting to all bulls*** today is your birthday and I love you Samantha Marie.”
“To the only woman who can walk six miles in Chanel flats, skydive over the Alps and catch a fish bigger than me all in the same day,” he continued. “I hope your day was as stylish as you are.”