Real Weddings: Trevor and Rosalie

Rosalie Villanueva, a floral designer, met Trevor Coleman in 2014 through a guy she was briefly dating at the time. They connected as friends first, and she immediately fell in love with his dog, Daisy. One evening Trevor—who’s the entrepreneur-in-residence for the Centre for Social Innovation’s Climate Ventures program—took her out for beers at the Village Idiot to cheer her up after a bad day. By that time, she was no longer seeing the guy who introduced them. She appreciated Trevor’s sense of humour, and they started dating.

As a joke, Trevor had given his brother and his then-girlfriend a diamond ring–making kit, consisting of two pieces of coal, a gold band and a note saying, “apply pressure.” The kit made its way back to Trevor one Christmas, as a not-so-subtle hint that the family was hoping he’d ask Rosalie to marry him. In 2018, he proposed while they were vacationing in Switzerland. They were about to go paragliding, and Rosalie was nervous. Trevor mentioned he had something that might make her feel better. Clueless, she asked, “Is it a pepperoni stick?” Then he showed her the ring.

They chose the Toronto Reference Library because they loved the 1970s architecture. Rosalie has done floral arrangements for tons of weddings, so she knew what she liked. She wanted the colour scheme to represent both of their personalities, and used soft greys and neutrals to reflect her quiet nature, combined with flashes of pink and bright orange, which is Trevor’s favourite colour. “I wanted the flowers to represent the brightness he brings to my life,” she says. “It was my personal love letter to him.” Rosalie designed the florals herself, and as an inside joke, they served pepperoni sticks as a late-night snack.

Cheat Sheet

Date: October 26, 2019 Planner: Laura Olsen Events Photographer: BKH Photo Videographer: Anton Park Films Bride’s Attire: Breeyn McCarney, Fitzroy Rentals, Soft Focus Groom’s Attire: GotStyle Custom, Pomp & Ceremony Makeup: Angie Di Battista Hair: Charlotte Wasylowich, Parlour Salon Jewellery: Emily Gill (rings), Cadette Jewelry (earrings) Venue: Toronto Reference Library Hotel: Kimpton St. George Officiant: Jeremy Citron, All You Need Is Love Caterer: A la Carte Kitchen Flowers: Rosalie Villanueva, RZY Floral Design DJ: Dougie Boom Cake: Eat My Sweet Face Invitations: The Gloam Custom Gifts: CXBO Chocolates A/V: BB Blanc Guests: 130

The couple got ready at the Kimpton Saint George. Rosalie and Trevor custom-made her ring with local jeweller Emily Gill:

Rosalie worked on her dress with a local designer, Breeyn McCarney, to achieve her vision. She wanted something architectural:

Rosalie thought Trevor would look great in a plaid suit. “I want you in something Nick Nurse would wear,” she joked. He paired it with a floral tie as a nod to Rosalie’s profession:

They chose the Kimpton for their first look largely because it was dog-friendly. Daisy couldn’t attend the ceremony, so they made sure to snap some portraits with her before they left:

They snapped this in a nearby park:

Rosalie’s bolero was a nod to traditional Filipino formalwear, which is all about butterfly sleeves:

“I burst into tears the moment I saw the room,” Rosalie says. She designed everything and made all the bouquets, but handed over setup of the head table’s floral installation to close friends on the day:

The ceremony was set up on the main floor of the library:

Rosalie rode down the glass elevator before walking down the aisle. “It was funny and overwhelming to see a room of everyone I loved just staring up at me,” she says:

They sealed the deal with a smooch:

And kicked off the festivities with a champagne tower:

They snapped some studious portraits in one of the library’s cozier nooks:

To honour their heritages, they served Filipino food during appetizers and British food (fish and chips) for a late-night snack:

The funfetti cake was made by a close friend as their wedding gift:

Their first dance was to Van Morrison’s “Into the Mystic,” and later, as is tradition among their group of friends, they had a rowdy singalong to to Toto’s “Africa.” By this point, Rosalie had changed into a glittery party outfit she rented from Fitzroy:

Here are a few more snaps from the festivities:

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