Real Weddings 2016: Inside Buca chef Rob Gentile and wife Audrey’s rustic celebration at the Burroughes Building

Rob and Audrey Gentile met at Buca, and secretly harboured a mutual crush for about six months. Rob first noticed Audrey when she was dining at the restaurant with her cousin. “I saw two gorgeous women who ordered two servings of lamb’s brains,” says Rob. “It was a chef’s dream.” Meanwhile, Audrey was asking friends about Buca’s cute chef. This went on until about a week before Audrey was about to permanently relocate to Montreal, and a mutual friend called Rob and asked why he hadn’t made a move yet.

After a first date at Cocktail Bar, followed by lunch the next day at Bannock and dinner that night at the Black Hoof, they were official (she moved into his apartment soon after, instead of the one she’d already rented in Montreal). A year after they started dating, while they were on vacation in the Amalfi Coast, Rob popped the question over coffee by the ocean. Almost exactly a year after that—in October 2013—they got hitched in the Burroughes Building. “It was more stressful than opening a restaurant,” says Rob about the planning process. They hired a planner for the final two weeks leading up to the big day, but did everything else on their own. Rob even spent most of the morning in the Buca kitchen, helping his team prepare a 100-person feast.

Cheat sheet

Date: October 13, 2013 Photography: Mango Studios
Bride’s Dress: Les Noce Coutures, BHLDN Flowers: DT Floral and Decor Groom’s Attire: Tombolini, Prada Hair and Makeup: Grace Lee (makeup) and Morgan Inniss from Aveda (hair) Venue: The Burroughes Building Caterer: Buca Cake: Cheese Boutique, Rob’s mom Music: St. Royal Entertainment Planner: Natalie Nudds Guests: 108

After Rob finished overseeing catering prep at Buca, he met Audrey, who was getting ready with her bridesmaids at one of their homes. That was one of the couples’ favourite moments, and they sabered a bottle of champagne to celebrate:

Audrey splurged on a statement bracelet for herself for the big day from a boutique in Beverly Hills, but lost it during the ceremony and never found it again:

Audrey isn’t a “fluffy flower person,” so the florist made sure to include plenty of spiky succulents in the bridal bouquets and wedding arrangements:

They chose the Burroughes for its cozy, rustic vibe, and brought in the chairs, carpet, dance floor and cutlery from Chairman Mills:

The pair were married by their pastor from the First Baptist Church. “I’d describe the program as soulful,” says Audrey:

Audrey found a ton of vintage frames while she was instructing a yoga retreat in Massachusetts, and re-worked them all into chalkboards. The couple hired a chalkboard artist to make most of the signage:

Two long dinner tables, decorated with lots of candles and vintage candlesticks, added to the homey atmosphere:

Dinner was a collection of their favourite dishes, including milk-poached veal and homemade pasta:

The feast kicked off with towers of fresh seafood:

And finished with a “cake” made entirely of cheese from the Cheese Boutique:

For more sweet-toothed guests, Rob’s mother made a red velvet cake with cream cheese icing (Audrey’s favourite), decorated with more succulents:

The couple chose two signature cocktails inspired by their respective families’ heritage (Rob is Italian and Audrey’s family is Quebecois):

Though they were against the idea of a first dance (“It’s awkward to have everyone staring at you,” says Rob), they did one anyway, to Otis Redding’s “These Arms of Mine”:

Guests took home maple syrup grappa, made by the couple:

At the end of the night, all the Buca staff came by to close down the party: