Celebrating real love stories from locals of the South Georgian Bay area

To celebrate the end of 2021, we asked some local couples to share their story. How they met, how they fell in love, how they proposed, that sorta thing! We’re a sucker for a good love story! Aren’t you? Have you ever seen When Harry Met Sally? It’s hard not to fall in love with those little interviews with the couples (were they real couples? I always assumed yes), and so we used that as inspiration for a little tribute to true and real love stories from the Georgian Bay area. People just like you.

Want to share your love story? We’d love to help you! Get in touch.

Couple: Cody & Anne-Marie

Relationship status

Engaged

A bit more about you two

Cody is the owner of the Milk Maid, and Anne-Marie is a Parliamentary Research Assistant. They live in Owen Sound, and will have been together for five years in February. They love swimming together in Georgian Bay. They spend as many summer nights fully submerged as possible.

When did you know you were in love with your significant other?

Cody & Anne-Marie: Cody knew that she was in love with Anne-Marie very quickly. Two weeks after they met, Cody drove to Ottawa with two handmade pies and a hand knit hat. After that, Anne-Marie figured it out pretty quickly.

Tell us about the proposal!

C & AM: Cody had a proposal planned for the anniversary of the night they met. After spending the weekend visiting friends and family in Toronto, they sang karaoke songs in the car the whole way home. Cody couldn't wait one more day to ask the question and proposed as soon as they got home with matching engagement rings made by Shelley Strong, a local silversmith and friend.

What has helped you stay in love?

C & AM: It might be cheesy, but it's truly the simple but thoughtful things. Light candles at dinner. Make pancakes for a breakfast picnic and eat them by the bay, even in February. Pay attention to each other, be generous, and be tender.

Couple: Frances & Joel

Relationship status

Married

A bit more about you two

Frances is a wedding & portrait photographer living in the Beaver Valley, Joel is the cider maker at Coffin Ridge Boutique Winery, though currently on parental leave. They are artistic, outdoorsy folks who love a good 50% off deal and Kevin Costner. They just welcomed their first child.

How did you two meet?

Frances & Joel: We met while working at Palais Royale in Toronto. Joel was working in the kitchen, and I was front of house. We mainly worked weddings together.

Tell us about the proposal!

F & J: I'm a wedding photographer, so I spend a lot of time staring at people in love. It makes me cry a lot. I was editing a particularly emotional wedding one day and just crying away when Joel walked. I turned to him and blurted out "I think I'd be very ok if we were together forever" or something of the like. He just looked at me and smiled. I was mostly unphased by him not saying it back, but out of curiosity I asked "what about you?" He smirked and said "undecided. I'll tell you soon". It became an ongoing joke, I'd ask "Have you decided yet?" and he'd respond "still thinking". This went on for weeks, maybe months. Then one day I was rushing to pack up for the city a bit frantic. Joel had requested we go for a walk before I go so that we could have a bit of time together, I had said yes but my timing was getting so tight, so I offered a quick walk to the general store so I could pick something up that I needed. He agreed. The whole way there he was a little twitchy and he kept squeezing my hand, so I knew something was up. I tried to put my hand in his back pocket and he stopped me, a very un-Joel like move. I started to suspect that he was going to ask me to marry him, but we got home and he didn't. I gotta admit, I felt a little crazy at that point. Am I just that person who thinks their partner is going to propose when anything is slightly different? It doesn't change anything. I wasn't in a rush to get married, I knew where we stood and how much we love each other.
I returned from my trip to the city and asked my typical question: "Soooooo... have you decided yet?" "Still thinking".

A few days later we went up to Old Baldy so Joel could get some climbing in. It was a bloody glorious day. He sent Bear on a Wire and I was over the moon, the sun was starting to set and I was just so blissed out by this perfect day that I was dragging my feet. You know those days that are so perfect you just want to squeeze someone and hold on tight so that it lasts forever? It was that kinda day. I didn't want to leave this perfect day. Joel hurried me along so we could go sit in our spot and watch the sun set over the valley with drink in hand. Once we got there, we sat and started musing over what our next adventure would be. We have made big decisions on this spot, with drink in hand, watching the sun set. So I wanted to know what was next? Shall we travel for a year? Where should we go? I asked Joel "Where should our next adventure be?" He responded "How bout right here?" I shook my head. "No. Let's think bigger. How about we do a road trip out west, or run off to Sicily?" but he was insistent "I think right here is perfect." He handed me a box and said "I've decided". Apparently he had the ring when I asked him the very first time, he was just waiting for the right moment.

Couple: Rachel & Jayar

Relationship status

Married

A bit more about you two

Rachel and Jayar live in Kimberley. She’s an event florist, and he works in business consulting. They’re both science fiction and video game dorks who love heading outside on cold, crisp winter mornings to cross-country ski. They both like washing dishes, but neither of them likes emptying the dish tray.

How did you meet?

Rachel & Jayar: Who’d have guessed: they met the new-fashioned way -- online. Rachel made the first move and sent Jayar a note asking how he turned a graduate degree in philosophy into a career that he enjoyed. He gave her good career advice, then asked her out for coffee.

tell us about the proposal!

R & J: The short story is: they went to Pinnacles National Park in California, hiked to the top of Scout Peak, and Jayar proposed at the top.

Buuuut... The long story is funnier. The day prior to the proposal was the second last day of a road trip up the Pacific Coast Highway. Rachel and Jayar had met up with some friends for the day, so they could hike out to Pfeiffer Beach and watch the sunset. The setting was perfect, the sun was just kissing the horizon, the skies were clear, the friends were busily and sneakily getting ready to take the Big Proposal Photo... But Jayar had left the engagement ring in the car. So, the next day, he found a different spot. As they finished their lunch at the top of the mountain, Jayar got down on one knee, and asked Rachel to marry him using her full name -- yes, even her middle names. When they got back to the gift shop they bought a mug to commemorate the occasion. Most mornings Rachel still drinks her coffee in it.

What was your wedding like?

R & J: If you guessed a ceremony performed by the bride's pastor dad, a custom Chinese-French Canadian fusion taco bar with lots of tequila-based cocktails, mini cigars smoked on the roof terrace, and a super-chill, laid-back walk home, you would have been a guest at their wedding.

Couple: Heather & Brian

Relationship Status

Married

A Bit more about you two

We're a pretty mighty team :) We've been together for 22 years and feel like we're just getting started!

When did you know you were in love with your significant other?

Heather & Brian: The second time we met. The first time we didn't like each other at all!

tell us about the proposal!

H & B: The proposal happened on our three year anniversary after the MOST silent meal we've ever had! He was so nervous (though I have no idea why...he knew the answer was YES).

what was your wedding like?

H & B: It was perfect. Outdoors at our cottage. I wore flip flops with a giant pouffy gown. We ate barbecue and had an ice sundae bar. We danced...and danced...and danced. All these years later it is still one of the best parties on record with our group of friends.