Vows
Distance Makes the Heart Grow Fonder
Inside Julien Robillard and Dimitri Kovachis' Toronto Nupitials
It was a chilly night in January 2011 when Julien and Dimitri locked eyes from across the room at a Toronto house party hosted by mutual friends. Immediately attracted to each other, they chatted all evening, eventually escaping the lively chatter of the party for a clandestine first kiss in the attic. Not knowing if it would go any further, they met for brunch the next day, still feeling the effects of the night before. Julien was happily living in Montreal, and Dimitri was settled in his Toronto career. It didn't make sense on paper for either of them, but Julien was drawn to Dimitri's strong personality and drive. "He had something to say", he recalls. Dimitri, charmed by Julien's easy charm and curious mind, wasn't expecting to have such strong feelings for the man he'd just met. Something was brewing because neither one of them was ready for this to end.
Their relationship started slowly because they were living in separate cities, but by Valentine's Day, they each knew that this was turning into something more serious. Dimitri — a corporate banker — was falling for the art-loving architect, Julien. "I loved his joy of life, and the space he was making for me in it," he says. Julien was also beguiled by Dimitri. " I liked the way he treated me," he said, "and I loved the way he took me in his arms that very first time." Four months later, Julien packed up his Montreal apartment and moved to Toronto.
Over the following decade, Julien and Dimitri built their life together, buying a house in Toronto and travelling the world. They visited France, Italy, and Israel. Some of their most memorable trips are when they visit South Africa, where Julien used to work. They've toured Zambia and experienced a romantic resort on the beaches of Mozambique. They've also travelled south to Mexico and especially enjoyed Vieques, an island in Puerto Rico where they were absorbed by its architecture and wild horses. During this time, the couple decided they wanted to start a family. Having seen the world, they were ready to fill their Toronto home and began the surrogacy process.
On Valentine's Day 2021, exactly ten years after the night they knew this was something more than a secret kiss in the attic, Dimitri proposed to Julien in the dining room of their Toronto home. The two wanted to marry quickly and began planning their wedding when the pandemic hit. Having to put their plans on hold, the couple suddenly got very busy: as they waited for the world to open up again, their daughter was born. "She's the love of our life," says Julien. Their cup runneth over, but Dimitri and Julien had one small life piece missing — the wedding.
The two wed this past April on the 17th floor of The Globe and Mail Center with the Toronto skyline as their backdrop. Befitting their surroundings and their passions, the theme was elegant and highly architectural, with inky black tablecloths and sparkling candlelight. For Julien, the most spectacular part of the night was towards the end of dinner. "When the sun went down, the light in the room was magical."
Guests dined on halloumi flatbread with fresh figs and caramelized onions, duck confit wontons and Japanese milk buns for appetizers. For a second course, they ate spinach and ricotta ravioli with brown butter and fried sage. For their main, guests had a choice of beef fillet with maitake mushroom and chilli herb salad or grilled whole baby Italian eggplant with harissa sweet potato, herb slaw and crispy quinoa. Dessert was the wedding cake, followed by a cheese board as a late-night snack.
These days, Dimitri and Julien are going to bed a little earlier, but the new Dads show no signs of slowing down. They plan to bring their baby girl on their upcoming honeymoon to Greece, where they'll stop in Athens to visit with Dimitri's family before visiting Milos and Folegandros. Already an experienced traveller (she has already visited South Africa and New York) Their little girl will soon join her parents as a citizen of the world, and Julien and Dimitri are excited for their journeys ahead. Only now, it's as a trio.
Julien + Dimitri's favourite gifts
