A Sentimental Day

Celebrating the Union of Sammi Accola & Bebo Sous

By Hailey Bethke | Photography by Kailey Kercher

Falling in love begins with curiosity. It invites us to observe the unique ways we express the multifaceted aspects of ourselves, including the various roles we play each day.

For Sammi Accola and Moheb “Bebo” Sous, the idea of “wearing hats” was taken to heart. During their first date at a trendy Nashville bar called Urban Cowboy, Sammi pulled out two cowboy hats: a white one and a pink one. Unsure of Bebo’s reaction, she handed him the pink hat. He accepted it and asked without missing a beat, “Does it have lights?”

“After he said that, I knew he was someone truly worth pursuing,” Sammi explains. “Bebo is the most comfortable-with-himself person I know. He’s the best.”

Bebo grew up in Cairo, Egypt, before moving to the United States at the age of twelve. Sammi, who had lived in Seaside, Florida, since she was ten, relocated to Nashville for college to pursue a music career. The two met at an Easter celebration with friends and family, where Bebo’s older sister, Joy, invited Sammi after they connected through campus ministry.

A year and a half into their relationship, Sammi was on a girls’ trip home with three of her closest college friends. While having brunch at the WaterColor BoatHouse, and with their meal “delayed,” Sammi took the opportunity to show her friends a nearby dock that she loved, describing it as her most peaceful and meditative spot on 30A. Little did she know that Bebo was waiting for her at the top of the boardwalk. It was an unforgettable surprise! Bebo took Sammi’s hand, and they sat together, chatting and enjoying the view. “Bebo then helped me to my feet and got down on one knee to propose, saying the kindest words. I said ‘YES!’ then our family jumped out from the bushes, shouting joyfully. The rest of the family had been setting up at my Seagrove home for our closest friends and family, who were waiting for us! It was one of our favorite days,” Sammi recalls.

Ecstatic, Sammi and Bebo decided to plan their wedding before the end of the year—in under five months, to be exact. It was a quick turnaround that required all hands on deck, but they wanted to get married before the holidays and enjoy Nashville’s dreamy October weather.

Upon touring Long Hollow Gardens, a venue thirty minutes outside the city, the couple immediately fell in love with it. It felt like a slice of Napa Valley, with sprawling vineyards providing the perfect backdrop, along with a bespoke pre-ceremony wine tasting for guests.

Synchronicities were everywhere, showing divine support and alignment. Sammi had called Long Hollow Gardens early in her wedding search, but they were fully booked. They called Sammi back the next day because a couple had postponed their wedding date, leaving one last available date in 2024—October 3rd—open!

When the day finally arrived, it was nothing short of magical. “After the wedding, we just kept saying, ‘That was the most sentimental day,’“ Sammi expresses. “It was an absolutely beautiful cross-cultural celebration.”

Drawing inspiration from the greenhouse on the property, Sammi and Bebo settled on an eclectic, modern-vintage theme with jewel tones, including turquoise, deep yellows, and rich greens. They decorated around the abundant foliage with vintage couches and furniture, installed a classic black-and-white checkered dance floor, and placed vibrant flowers in unique bud vases.

“Our wedding wasn’t about perfectly following the schedule,” Sammi explains. “It was about embracing hugs with friends we hadn’t seen in years randomly in the parking lot; laughing through the silliness of Louis Armstrong’s ‘Cheesecake’ song while scarfing down all of the buttercream deliciousness; a friend almost breaking her heel trying to do the splits mid-dance floor in her fluffy pink dress; me running up to sing ‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’ next to our band leader, Brian, and then crowd-surfing afterward; and having an unorthodox bridal party. Joy, Bebo’s sister, was his ‘Best Woman,’ and she absolutely killed it, while I had two maids of honor: Maddie Boys (my sister) and Summerlyn Powers (my best friend and songwriting partner).

Sammi shares some of her other precious moments from the day:

1. Exploring the property with the girls before hair and makeup: Strolling through the vineyards and wildflower garden was an absolute dream. It felt peaceful and set a hopeful tone, surrounded by prayers of support and belief.

2. Groomsmen dancing to NSYNC’s “Bye Bye Bye”: This was a hilarious moment. Given the best of their non-professional skills, one might say they were “in sync.”

3. Singing an original song to Bebo: An emotional piano ballad inspired by Etta James’ “At Last” brought everyone to tears and got them cheering.

4. Red roses: Bebo’s beloved mom, Odette Hanna, passed away a few years ago from breast cancer. Her favorite color was red. Everyone in the bridal party carried a red rose down the aisle to honor and remember her. We also sang one of her favorite hymns, “On Jordan’s Stormy Banks,” during the ceremony.

5. Arabic music: An ode to Bebo’s family.

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Special Thanks

Flowers: Emma Morgan with Gentlefolk Flowers. Emma is a dear friend; this was her first time doing florals for her business. Everything turned out unbelievably beautiful!

Photographer: Kailey Kercher. She is the kindest human who took time to get to know us beforehand and let us both stay in the moment. Using 60% film and 40% digital photography led to many artistic shots.

Videographer: Samuel Perry Lee (Sammy Lee). Another incredible friend who shot digital and Super 8 film.

Band / Live Music: By My Culture…aka Brian Seay and a band of friends from our gospel-singing church in Nashville that he pulled together. Most of them are session players in town, so it was seriously the best. Bebo and I are both musicians (he’s a drummer, and I’m a singer-songwriter), so having live music was a must. They completely blew everyone out of the water. Not to mention an utterly custom setlist. It was a dream.

Venue: Long Hollow Gardens

Wedding Planner: Brigett with B-Golden Wedding & Events

Hair & Makeup: One 10 Beauty

Mixologist: Before & Beyond

Catering: Mixed Grilled Catering. A family friend of Bebo’s who specializes in authentic Egyptian catering. This was very important to us in celebrating cross-cultures!

Photo Booth: Nashville Smile Bar

Rehearsal Dinner: Thistle Farms (Sammi’s place of work)

Rentals & Decor: Spark Vintage and Curated Events

Dessert: Nothing But Buttercream (mini cheesecakes and an iconic cheesecake). One of our favorite songs is “Cheesecake” by Louis Armstrong, so we had to play it while we cut our cake. It was a little unorthodox, but we liked it better that way! We also had a Ben & Jerry’s ice cream cart for the guests!