Gene Simmons’ Daughter Sophie Simmons Is Married to James Henderson

From winning the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame trophy in 2014 to creating several hit albums throughout his career, legendary Kiss rocker Gene Simmons has a lot to be proud of. Recently, the musician celebrated another win: his daughter Sophie Simmons’ wedding to James Henderson. On February 17, 2023, Sophie and Henderson tied the knot at a courthouse in Los Angeles. Then, on February 22, 2023, the newlyweds said “I do” again in the backyard of her mother Shannon Tweed-Simmons’ house in Malibu with 50 of their closest friends and family present, according to People. “We couldn’t be prouder of our daughter,” Gene and Shannon tell the outlet. “James is a solid young man, and Sophie can do anything she puts her mind to. We wish them a lifetime of love and happiness. If they are even half as happy as we are, they will last long.”

Before the couple exchanged vows, guests enjoyed light refreshments at 4:30 p.m. Once the sun started to set, Simmons descended the aisle in a sparkly blush Galia Lahav dress and Maria Elena Bridal headpiece while “No One’s Gonna Love You” by Band of Horses played, People reports. “When my fiancé and I first started dating nine years ago, he took me to a Band of Horses concert," Sophie says. "I was so tired from filming our reality show Shannon & Sophie back then, I fell asleep on his shoulder. We were way too early in the dating phase for me to do that. Luckily, he thought it was cute, and he woke me up for that one song." She then joined Henderson, who was wearing a Tom Ford ensemble, at the altar. “My fiancé chose to wear a Tom Ford suit because he saw a picture of David Beckham in one,” the bride laughs.

Sophie notes that the backyard of her mother’s home was the perfect spot for the ceremony. “The view truly can't be beat, and I love that it is intimate and family-oriented," she shares. “James and I never wanted a big wedding, so this is the perfect space for us.” Since the couple and their families have different religious backgrounds, they enlisted a judge to marry them rather than a religious official. “We wanted to be respectful of both our families,” she notes. They also wrote their own vows, which Sophie rehearsed constantly. “I’ve been practicing in the car because I'm like, 'I am not going to cry,’” she admits. “But I am so going to cry. I cry in the car, and then come in the house, and James will be like, 'Are you crying?' I'm like, 'No, I'm fine!' Even though we've said all these things to each other before, it's emotional.”

After becoming husband and wife, they recessed to “First Day of My Life” by Bright Eyes, which is the groom’s favorite band. Then, everyone dined on a meal of pasta, pizza, spicy chicken sandwiches, salads, and vegetables that Haute Chefs LA catered. “The one thing I want to make sure at my wedding is no one should be hungry,” she notes. “So at every point of our ceremony, there's snacks, and we wanted it to be stuff we actually liked. We're not a very fancy couple, so it goes with our vibe.” To top off their meal, they served a multi-tiered coconut wedding cake.

For entertainment, the couple converted the aisle into a movie lounge with films by David Fincher, the bride’s favorite director. They also hit the dance floor to music by DJ Wade Crescent. One highlight was during the father-daughter dance when Sophie surprised her dad with a song she wrote for him as a little girl called “Daddy’s Girl.” “Since I was little, I've written my parents songs for gifts,” she shares. “I wrote him a Father's Day song years ago, and he hasn't stopped playing it. So, I was like, 'All right, it's time for a new song.’” At the end of the night, guests took home donuts, hot chocolate, and disposable cameras.

On Thursday, February 23, 2023, the couple will continue the festivities with a speakeasy reception in Los Angeles, where 250 friends and family members will join them. Then, on Friday, February 24, 2023, the couple will host a brunch for their guests who traveled overseas. Sophie and Henderson first met in 2014 at a café in Los Angeles, where Henderson was her waiter. After dating for almost a decade, they got engaged in July of 2022.