Love is alive and now streaming!
A University of Ottawa alumni couple tied the knot over the weekend, celebrating their union over live-streaming app, Yubo.
Jack and Jill Pailowater had met on the social media app in 2017 after Jill joined Jack’s live stream when they were both third-year students in human kinetics.
“He was using a lighter to pop balloons and singing Fleetwood Mac,” she said. “I had just gotten out of a nasty long-term relationship, but when I heard his voice, I knew he was the one.”
Following years of meme exchanges and arson-motivated dates, Jack finally proposed last May.
“Times were difficult, but whenever I’d wake up next to Jill after long nights of applesauce and Absinthe, I just felt complete,” he said.
The couple faced several obstacles when planning their wedding. As a result, they decided to make it virtual, since they wanted to wed sooner rather than later, but couldn’t find a proper platform to stream their ceremony.
Jill very early on said that Zoom was out of the question, as well as Google Hangouts. “We held a rehearsal dinner over Hangouts, and it made my aunt’s laptop explode,” she explained.
Di Daniels, a close friend of the couple and wedding officiant, heard their complaints and decided to arrange a surprise.
“My cousin’s roommate’s boyfriend’s babysitter works at Yubo so I called in a favour,” she said. “I sent the link to all of their friends and family and told them to meet dressed up at a park. They almost didn’t show up.”
But it was somewhat of a dream come true for the couple. They exchanged vows and used a lighter to pop a balloon that each held the other’s ring. The app developers even paid for the venue, which was a public park, in support of the ceremony.
“It was the most romantic night of my life,” said Jill. “I’m more than used to weird by now. Jack sleeps with a jar mixed with peanut butter and marmalade … I’ve married weird.”