In a deeply moving Instagram update shared on January 21, Grammy-winning artist Zach Bryan memorialized his New Year’s Eve nuptials to Samantha Leonard in Spain. The country star utilized the poignant post to pay a touching homage to his late mother, Annette DeAnn, who passed away in August 2016 and served as the namesake for his debut project, DeAnn.
A Spanish Celebration and a Mother’s Memory
Bryan’s social media gallery offered fans a glimpse into the intimate Spanish ceremony and lively reception. The collection featured tender moments between the newlyweds alongside spirited group shots of their inner circle. Accompanying the visuals was a heartfelt letter to his late matriarch, expressing a bittersweet longing for her presence during the celebration.
“I reckon you’d have loved this and her,” Bryan wrote. “We all took an aeroplane to Spain last week and you’d have eaten it up. You’d have ordered everything twice and made sure we got your dress perfect. Everyone I love, you woulda too.”
The singer-songwriter described a scene steeped in tradition and atmosphere, noting that the couple exchanged vows to the sound of love songs and hymns within the walls of a 300-year-old basilica. The festivities also featured a string section performing renditions of Little Feat classics.
“We’re a long way from Oklahoma but things resemble home more now than ever,” he continued, reflecting on the emotional cornerstone his mother remains in his life. “I think of all the moments you’ve missed often but Sam reminds me that you’re half of me anyways. She is something special and precious… a thing you gotta keep once she touches your life.” He closed the tribute with a poetic nod to the setting: “She loves a man only a mother could. Maybe you’re in that Spanish moon. I’ll see you soon enough, til’ then I’ll tell her you love her.”
A Milestone Year for the Country Star
Bryan and Leonard have been romantically linked since the summer of 2025, with Leonard first confirming their relationship through a series of personal photos shared in August.
The marriage marks the beginning of what is already a monumental 2026 for the artist. His latest studio effort, With Heaven On Top, recently ascended to the summit of the Billboard 200, marking his second career No. 1 album. The 25-track odyssey debuted with 134,000 equivalent album units in its first week, according to Luminate data, following the massive success of his 2023 self-titled chart-topper.
