The strongest storm to ever hit the east coast wasn't strong enough to stop a wedding
Peter Dunlap just returned to Ottawa from his nephew’s wedding in Halifax, but it wasn’t the wedding they expected.
When the power went out after post-tropical storm Fiona struck, the couple still got married by candlelight.
“The wedding was not until Saturday at 3:00 but we lost power at about 10:30 on Friday,” says Dunlap.
The storm cut power to the venue the night before the big day, but the celebrations went on. The guest listed ended up being cut in half because of cancelled flights and avoiding the risk.
“It was catered offsite. The food was brought in hot. There was lots of candlelight and a couple lamps done by generators. The drinks were cold, everything was very well done,” says Dunlap. “The band was acoustic for the majority of the night, but people danced and had a great time. It was really a success.”
As the east coast begins a long recovery, there are some heading into the area to help. Hydro Ottawa has sent 15 workers and 10 vehicles to the east coast. They are already on the way.
“They’re all power line technicians, so they’re all able to string and install poles and power lines. Anything Nova Scotia Power needs, these guys can do,” says Bryce Conrad, Hydro Ottawa President and CEO. “None of us is built or staffed to deal with monstrous events like this. So when they do occur, it’s just part and parcel of the industry that we support each other.”
Conrad says Ottawa crews will be there for seven to 10 days and more will be sent if needed.
As for the newly married couple, it seems like it was meant to be all along.
“My nephew’s parents, my brother and his wife, were married in the middle of a snowstorm in 1988 that closed airports and train stations,” says Dunlap. “So it was just kind of par for the course.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
BREAKING Ottawa public school board, 3 Toronto-area school boards launch lawsuit against social media giants
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and three school boards in the Toronto-area have launched legal action against social media giants, accusing them of "disrupting students' fundamental right to education."
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 mm among weather alerts in effect for 7 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres, air quality advisories and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
A Nigerian woman reviewed some tomato puree online. Now she faces jail
A Nigerian woman who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business.
Donald Trump assails judge and his daughter after gag order in N.Y. hush-money criminal case
Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at the New York judge who put him under a gag order that bars him from commenting publicly about witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and jurors in his upcoming hush-money criminal trial.
A fight to protect the dignity of Michelangelo's David raises questions about freedom of expression
Michelangelo's David has been a towering figure in Italian culture since its completion in 1504. But in the current era of the quick buck, curators worry the marble statue's religious and political significance is being diminished.
Doctors visiting a Gaza hospital are stunned by the war's toll on Palestinian children
An international team of doctors visiting a hospital in central Gaza was prepared for the worst. But the gruesome impact Israel’s war against Hamas is having on Palestinian children still left them stunned.
What new auto insurance reforms will mean for Ontarians, if they get introduced
Ontario has among the highest rates for auto insurance premiums in Canada -- just below Alberta and Nova Scotia -- however, the introduction of an insurance reform in the provincial budget could soon lower prices.