Brief

Bride receives free wedding dress after proposal hijacked by racist outburst in Laguna Beach

Lisa Clark of Saint Clark Bridal Suite gifted a gown to Hayley Lugo following a racist verbal attack during the couple's engagement.

By Felo News Desk · Published Sun, 11 Oct 2026 05:23:47 GMT

Hayley Lugo, a California bride-to-be, was gifted a wedding dress by Saint Clark Bridal Suite after a woman interrupted her engagement proposal in Laguna Beach with a racist remark.

What happened

On a recent evening at Crescent Bay Point Park in Laguna Beach, Lugo and her fiancé Emmanuel Banuelos were proposing as a mariachi band played. An unidentified woman approached the couple and shouted, “Go back to Mexico,” a moment captured on video.

What the reports add

The New York Post reported that the incident was recorded and that the woman’s outburst was directed at the couple’s Hispanic heritage. It also noted that Lugo told ABC 7 the incident hurt “the whole Mexican culture.”

What was said

Lisa Clark, owner of Saint Clark Bridal Suite in Monrovia, told CBS News, “I wanted to make sure that she understood that the world is not full of hate and there is still kindness, and if this is something I could do for her, I wanted to do it.” Lugo said to the same outlet, “Very blessed to be receiving the gown and that there’s so many kind people out there who are still willing to help us despite what happened.”

How it came about

After the video of the harassment spread online, Clark learned of the incident and offered a free dress to Lugo as a gesture of support. The dress was described as a strapless white gown with pearl detailing.

Key facts

Hayley Lugo and Emmanuel Banuelos were proposing in Laguna Beach when a woman shouted "Go back to Mexico". (nypost.com)
Lisa Clark, owner of Saint Clark Bridal Suite, gifted Lugo a free wedding dress after the incident. (nypost.com)
The incident was recorded on video and reported by CBS News and ABC 7. (nypost.com)