Love on the tracks: A Toronto couple tied the knot on a TTC streetcar and went viral
The couple says they'll remember their big day fondly.
Two Ontario newlyweds went viral this week after tying the knot in a unique venue. What started as a pragmatic decision turned into a heartwarming celebration of love and captured the attention of thousands.
Lisa Carlo and James La Brash from Hamilton, Ont. got married on Nov. 18 in a party of six, on a moving Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) streetcar full of strangers.
"It wasn't anything more complicated than: venues... were in the 1000s," Carlo told Yahoo Canada. "That money seemed really poorly allocated, given the amount of people we saw, when we were looking for venues in Toronto, that didn't have even a home."
After considering having an outdoor ceremony but soon giving up due to chilly temperatures, they thought, "What about the streetcar?" Carlo recalled. "Once that popped in our heads, it didn't leave."
The simplicity and romance appealed to them, and the logistics fell into place.
Carlo and La Brash hopped on the last wagon of the King-line along with their best friends and their pastor, and the ceremony began. Carlo's walk down the "isle" was captured by Sarah Mouche who happened to be a passenger.
The video was viewed by more than 344,000 thousand TikTok users and garnered more than 40,000 likes.
The newlyweds took the streetcar to a restaurant where they held a celebration, and before they were done eating, Carlo's phone began blowing up with messages about the video.
"Friends that I hadn't seen in decades called me. Like, 'did you get married?' And I was like, 'what? How did you know that?'"
Their first reaction, she said, was "Holy smokes, that's fast... No one expected that." But, Carlo said she appreciated what Mouche did.
It was really heartwarming. It was kind of like a half million people attended our wedding.
"She was the only person that actually got video footage... So I was really grateful that she did that. And I don't think she expected it, like she just wanted to put it somewhere that maybe I'd be able to find it."
Carlo said they contacted the TikToker and later met up with and brought her a gift to thank her for capturing their special moment.
But, the couple didn't to this for the attention.
What they saved by not splurging on an extravagant wedding, Carlo and La Brash decided to donate to charity. The Canadian Mental Health Association (CAMH), United Way of Greater Toronto and Covenant House were among the beneficiaries.
In another thoughtful gesture, they also provided pre-loaded Presto cards to fellow streetcar passengers, "just in case people didn't want to move their seats, or miss their stops because this was going on."
The TTC reached out to the couple too to congratulate them after the video went viral.
Though Carlo doesn't want a "duplicate" of their special wedding, she said people should "absolutely" embrace simplicity on their big day.
"I kind of feel like people should be doing Christmas that way too... Enjoy the company of your friends and donate your money somewhere valid."
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