Couple's long-distance romance leads to DIY disco wedding in Toronto

TORONTO · Alex Nankivell and Nicola Scott, both 33, held a colourful and kitschy wedding for about 50 guests in Toronto this August after a romance that spanned continents. The couple, who met in Sydney, Australia, spent months dating long-distance during the pandemic before Scott moved to Canada. They kept their wedding costs to about $15,000 by doing much of the work themselves and sourcing second-hand decor. Their celebration featured a disco-themed pizza party and cocktail reception at Sixteen Eleven Studios, a west-end event space they described as having "disco vibes."

Nankivell, who grew up in Ottawa, moved to Sydney in 2015 for a master's degree in architecture and stayed after graduating. He and Scott, a Sydney-born human resources professional, ran in the same social circles for years but did not interact much. "I thought she was probably a bit out of my league," Nankivell said. They finally connected at a friend's birthday dinner in the fall of 2019. "I distinctly remember Alex dropping the cauliflower on the ground because he was so nervous to talk to me," Scott said.

Nankivell had planned to move to London but decided to stay in Sydney to see where the relationship might go. The pair discovered shared connections to Hong Kong in their childhoods and a mutual curiosity about the world. "Alex is very curious about the world around him," Scott said. "The thing that attracted me the most to him was the unique ability of using both sides of his brain. He's quite a creative person, but he's also very rational and analytical." Nankivell was equally enamoured. "Nicola really knows how to light up a room," he said. "She's very gregarious and so full of life."

READ MORE: Parents worry about Gen Z financial futures as costs outpace incomes

READ MORE: Palestinian refugees face months-long wait for work permits, children barred from Alberta schools

After six months of dating, Nankivell returned to Canada in March 2020 to renew his Australian work visa just before the pandemic hit. He was unable to return to Australia, forcing the couple into a long-distance relationship. They made it work with cooking dates, Netflix Teleparties and phone calls that could last up to six hours. With Australia's borders closed and Scott considering a career change, they decided to try living together in Toronto, where Nankivell's parents live. Scott visited for three months in March 2021. "It was a very good test for being in a pressure-cooker environment," she said. "It reinforced to me that Alex was the right person to be making such a big change to my life." She moved to Toronto permanently the following spring.

The couple rented an apartment in Little Italy with Scott's cat, Hendrix. About a year and a half later, during a trip to Ottawa, they began discussing marriage and starting a family. "We both wanted to get married," Nankivell said. "We were talking about starting a family, what that would look like and what conditions we'd want to be in place to be able to do that." By the summer of 2024, Scott had started her own chili oil company called Rippah. She told Nankivell she hoped to be engaged by the end of the year. "The running joke in our relationship was that Alex is a procrastinator, so he was going to wait until New Year's Eve to do it," Scott said.

Nankivell bought an engagement ring from British jeweller Le Mela, but a postal strike delayed its delivery. Eager to propose before New Year's Eve, he bought a placeholder ring from Mejuri. He wrote a poem about their relationship, drew illustrations and presented them in a PowerPoint display on their TV on Christmas Day. "I wasn't surprised by the proposal, but I was surprised by when it happened and how it happened," Scott said. "It was very personal and considerate." They chose an August 2024 wedding date to give loved ones from Australia time to plan travel.

The couple wanted the wedding to feel like a casual house party. They DIYed many elements, sourcing second-hand knickknacks and serveware from local stores like Value Village, Bazaar and Arts Market. They brought artwork from their own home, including Nankivell's proposal illustrations. A decal illustration of the couple with Hendrix, also made by Nankivell, decorated the venue's exterior. Scott found her vintage satin gown at Space Vintage for $280. "It was so sexy and it felt very timeless, like a nod to the seventies," she said. Nankivell wore a double-breasted Hugo Boss suit from Simons.

Florals by Nina Caputo included a bouquet and sculptural arrangements of carnations, roses and anthuriums inspired by sunset colours. The couple hosted a welcome dinner the day before at Nankivell's parents' house in High Park, with Middle Eastern catering from Parallel Brothers. On the wedding day, friends helped with food assembly, decor and set-up. The ceremony lasted 15 minutes in the venue's back room, where the couple exchanged personal vows about everyday joy and their shared humour. Guests then enjoyed pizza from Mac's Pizza, including one with "Just Married" written in ricotta, and a grazing table the couple assembled with help from family and friends. The evening included speeches and dancing.

With files from The Globe and Mail