We love sharing love stories on the occasion of an anniversary, especially when that story is that of our recent Men’s Vows Photo Contest winners!

"It may sound like a cliché but I first saw Mikael on Facebook inn 2015. I was living in Dubai-UAE for my job as a flight attendant. The airline had a Facebook page for newly hired employees which I never removed myself from. One evening, out of curiosity, I decided to have a look at the group's posts and saw that Mikael posted a question about his upcoming move to Dubai from Montreal. I answered his question and, being back then a little bit of a stalker, I checked his profile pictures. I found him very good looking. We started chatting and our handful of weekly Facebook messages, became regular chats on WhatsApp that, ultimately turned into daily Facetime calls. As our interest in each other grew, so too did the challenge of how to meet each other in person. I couldn't fly to Toronto (the airline's only Canadian destination) for 5-months so we waited a while for our first date."

"I travelled to Toronto from Montreal under a false pretext as I wasn’t out yet. Our first weekend together was a make-or-break moment, and I can tell you that it was fantastic. Many things happened that weekend: At our first breakfast, our waitress told us we were the cutest couple she's ever seen. We took a guided tour and didn’t not pay attention to the guide as I was captivated by Jeffrey’s beauty only to then walk around Toronto for hours talking holding hands and cuddling for the world to see. I made Jeffrey enjoy a beer for the first time, then brought him to an elegant dinner where we discovered we are both foodies. I bought him a red rose which we still have seven years later. And, when the weekend was over, we had a heart wrenching goodbye. I carried my Polaroid all weekend and I still have the pictures of our first date."

"To be honest, I was amazed by Mikael's beauty and the more time we spent together the more I realized this was the beginning of something. I cannot say that there was an exact moment when I had a final confirmation that Mikael was my soulmate. It was more like the many little adventures, circumstances and learning experiences that led to the moment Mikael arrived in Dubai and we moved in together, one month after our first date! 

"I planned the engagement. Peru is where I was born, so bringing Mikael for a visit was very important to me and my family. Before our departure, I bought one ring for him as I already had one he gifted me for Valentine’s Day earlier that year. I engraved both to read: 'Marry me? J.” and “Marry me? M.' This detailed proved a hiccup given the day we were leaving and I was to pick up the rings, I realized the engravings were misspelled! Fortunately, they fixed them in hours. Alongside the rings I also had a t-shirt printed with the question “Will you marry me?” including two little hearts for Yes and No. And I picked Machu Picchu (the final stop of our 9-day trip) as the best place to propose. 

"It was a hot day, but I had to wear a sweater because I was wearing the 'Will You Marry Me?' t-shirt and the rings. As soon as we met our guide, I shared my plan and asked him to bring us to the best and quietest spot… fast… which he did! Having my sister and brother-in-law ready to capture the moment I pretended to want a normal picture taken but right when we were posing, I turned towards Mikael to propose a speech I had practiced daily since the beginning of the trip, but my mind went blank! I managed to recall the most important feelings I wanted to share with him. Once I took off the sweater I kneeled down and asked him in French (his mother tongue) and English (our shared language) if he wanted to marry me."

"I took on the wedding planning process for the wedding itself which was fun and quite easy. Working as flight attendants made it possible for Jeffrey and I to go back and forth to Venice, Italy (Jeffrey's hometown) to oversee all the planning, which the wedding planner at the Danieli Hotel supported us in. She shared our inspiration with the different vendors and organized an afternoon at the venue allowing us to have a large collaborative meeting with the chef, the florist, the pastry chef and others. Most importantly, the process allowed me to get closer to Jeffrey's family on several visits to Venice on my own. Planning a wedding abroad takes a lot of organization and dedication and we are lucky to have had Jeffrey’s family be very invested in helping us." 

"We got married on August 31st, 2018. The experience began with 2 private water taxis waiting for us and our guests to bring us down the Grand Canal to the “Comune di Venezia”, the equivalent of a City Hall, where we married. The ceremony was officiated by a representative of the mayor of Venice, who was very excited to celebrate her first same-sex civil union. We exchanged our vows standing in front of our loved ones having never felt so comfortable and safe, we felt like we were all one."

"From there all had a short walk through my beloved Venice’s most beautiful “calli” that concluded in St. Mark Square where, surrounded by our loved ones, we had our first dance as newlyweds. The celebration continued at the Hotel Danieli. Our guests enjoyed the incredible views of some of Venice's most incredible sites, an 8-course dinner and all the necessary bubbles! We really loved having a single long table where we gathered all the people we love most in the world. There was nothing that could have affected the love and energy present among our friends and family. Not even the sudden rain which forced us to move from the original dinner terrace setting to the inside! With our guests holding their wedding souvenirs made of Murano glass we boarded our private water taxis and made our way through the dark canals illuminated by a bright moon."

"Jeffrey and I were so ready to have this much-awaited and thoroughly-planned day. And, on the day we just wanted to enjoy every single moment and experience how our guests were so connected to our emotions. It felt surreal.  We had guests who didn't speak the same language, but all had a great time. After all, a smile, a laugh and dance moves are understood by all! And don't be afraid to make this day all about you.”

"Mikael and I went to the Maldives for our honeymoon, 9-months after the wedding. We had always dreamed of going there and enjoyed the much-needed time to relax, explore the sea and have an intimate experience focused on us." Love truly can make the world yours!

Photographer: Andrea Montin
Wedding Reception and Catering: Hotel Danieli, A Luxury Collection Hotel, Venice