Le Rose Bride - Samantha – Lerose USA

What is your name?

Samantha Menin

Wedding date and location?

September 22, 2018 at the Malibu West Beach Club in Malibu, California

How did she propose?

After about a month straight of 14-18 hour work days on New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest & the Golden Globes, Sam was ready for a calm & relaxing weekend. Little did she know, Ashley already had the whole weekend planned! She woke Sam up early Saturday morning and said “Babe, you have about 15 minutes to get ready. I already have a bag packed for you…and yes, your blow dryer is in it.” One they were in the car, Ashley told Sam she had to wear a blindfold, because she wanted where they were going, to be a surprise. Ashley had pre-booked couples’ massages at Burke Williams in Santa Monica, because she knew Sam needed a little self-care and pampering after her recent crazy work schedule. They spent a good amount of the day there, relaxing, drinking cucumber water, going in the spa, having lunch, and then eventually showering & getting ready for the rest of the day. Once they were back in the car, Ashley told Sam she had to put the blindfold back on, and although Sam wanted to resist it…she was so overjoyed about Ashley’s thoughtfulness, that she figured she would make it easy and just listen. Sam could tell that Ashley was driving on the PCH towards Malibu, because as a local, she knows the drive on the coast like the back of her hand & she could feel the warm afternoon sunlight shining into the car & onto their faces. She thought they were headed to a winery on the beach—one that they had both talked about wanting to go to…but again, little did she know, Ashley was headed to “Perfect Beach” in Malibu to propose at sunset. Once they arrived, Ashley told Sam to keep the blindfold on & hang on a second, and then left the car. Ashley had arranged for both of their families and closest friends to be there for this special moment, and Ashley had to quickly scope out the spot to make sure everything was setup & ready…including Sam’s best friend, who was hiding in a bush, ready to capture the whole thing! Now back at the car, Ashley insisted that she piggyback Sam to their destination, which Sam agreed to after a minimal amount of convincing (Ashley didn’t want Sam to feel the sand under her feet!). Once in the spot, she got down on one knee and told Sam to take off her blindfold. Sam slowly pulled off the blindfold and was in complete shock. Ashley then asked Sam to marry her, Sam said “of course!,” took Ashley’s face in both hands and kissed her! Ashley then put a thumbs up behind Sam’s back, and their families & closest friends all screamed in excitement!!...and then Sam immediately turned around and screamed right back at them!! They all cried, hugged and kissed…Sam couldn’t believe this was all happening!! Photos and video were captured of the entire thing & they even had a little impromptu photoshoot as the sun went down. It was the absolute best day of both of their lives…until the wedding, course!

What was your goal for your wedding / what was the most important aspect to you?

Because they are both from LA, they each have a huge love for the beach. They knew they wanted a wedding that was outside & one that gave them a “wild & free” feeling while at the venue… as if you could throw your hands up & twirl around, without a care in the world. Neither of them had been to Malibu West Beach Club before, but after doing lots of research, it looked like a great option. When they walked in for the first time, they immediately knew that was it. As soon as you open the glass doors to the main room, you see the open concept reception room, and the expansive outside balcony, which overlooks a 180-degree view of the beautiful blue ocean & sandy beach. You can hear the waves crashing on the shore from the moment you walk in… and the golden sun beaming upon your face. It was perfect & exactly what they wanted. More than just about everything else (outside of her friends & family), Sam is absolutely obsessed with sunsets…especially at the beach. So Sam & Ash decided they wanted to base the whole theme/vibe of their wedding (from décor to timing) around the sunset. They used muted, but warm sunset hues & tones in all of their florals, rentals & even their desserts! They used the term “beachy chic” to explain the beautiful aesthetic of their wedding.

How did you choose Le Rose for your wedding?

The robes are absolutely gorgeous! How could you not choose them to wear on your big day! They were exactly what I pictured me & my girls wearing on my wedding day.

What did you like the most about your Le Rose Robes?

They are comfortable, soft, silky & were the perfect gift for my bridesmaids & my mom to get ready in. And the best part is, we all still wear ours all the time!

Were there any funny moments from the day?

I’m not sure about “funny” per se… but here is a super special story from our day! We walked down the aisle to “Wild Love” by James Bay, played on the violin by the incredible Gabriel Wheaton. Our recessional song was “Viva La Vida” by Coldplay, also played by Gabe. And our first dance song was “Us” by James Bay. If you can’t tell…we love James Bay. He was the first concert we went to together back in 2013, and has been a favourite artist of ours ever since. Fun note: we actually reached out to James’ management team, to see if they would pass along a letter from us, asking him to come to & perform live at our wedding. We were told that unfortunately, he was going to be in the UK at that time & couldn’t make it. However…about half way into our reception, one of Sam’s coworkers pulled her & Ashley into the bridal suite and said she had a very important thing she had to show them. She pulled out her phone, turned it to face Sam & Ashley, and a video began to play. It was a personally recorded video from James Bay, congratulating them on their marriage!! He explained how he was incredibly touched that we chose his song “Us” to dance to…as it’s all about love. He apologized for not being able to make it in person, but wanted to send his best wishes for a lifetime of happiness. JAW DROP! Sam & Ash were 100% shocked & completely exploded in excitement! That was a VERY special, cool & unique memory we will cherish forever.

What was your favourite moment while getting ready in your Robes?

There was a moment during my getting ready process, where I went outside to my balcony to just have a minute to take it all in. I was able to take a step back and really let everything soak in, which was very special to me. It’s so easy to get lost in everything happening on your wedding day, so it was important to me that I got a chance to step away & really feel everything. After I had this quick moment to myself, my girls came out the balcony to join me, and we all got to have a fun few minutes together, talking & laughing, away from all the ‘getting ready activities’ that were happening inside. It was a moment I will remember forever.

What wisdom or advice can you share to other Le Rose Brides?

No matter how crazy the planning becomes, make sure to set aside time to sit down & regroup with your significant other. It is so easy to get lost & caught up in all the (thousands of) details, but if you stick together & support each other the entire way… remembering what is most important at the end of the day… you will get through it. And go with your instinct!