When Mike Weizel first set eyes on Rebecca 'Becca' Stein, he was twelve. Becca, who was at the same summer camp as Mike, was a high energy girl with a big smile and a constant sunburn, as Mike recalls. Twelve years later, as the young lawyer was getting started in his career, his mother approached him to say she had met his perfect match, a beautiful young doctor whose name was Becca. The two women had met by chance at the airport in Arizona. Becca made the connection to Camp Manitou, remembering a young boy who was unusually kind to the girls, which for a twelve year-old she found impressive and memorable.
When his mother told him about Becca, Mike thought he'd eventually reach out, but he wasn't in a rush. He was enjoying his own personal matchaker: Bumble.
As it happened, the stars aligned, because Bumble's algorithm found a perfect match for Mike, and her name was Becca Stein.
And so twelve years after that summer at Camp Manitou, Mike and Becca met at Toronto’s Northern Belle restaurant. Over wine and cheese, the two caught up, got to know their grown-up selves, and realized by the end of the evening that they could barely wait for their next date.
Two years later, the happy couple were busy in their respective careers. Becca was finishing her residency in opthamology while Mike was working as in-house counsel at the Cronos Group. Mike, however, knew early on in the relationship that he wanted to spend his life with Becca, and worked for nearly a year on his proposal. He spent 10 months videotaping the two of them around the world as he secretly asked Becca to marry him, which he then compiled into a surprise proposal video. Becca said yes and the two began planning their big day.
The betrothed couple decided on a formal winter wedding at Toronto’s The Symes, which they executed with the help of wedding planner Ashley Pigott. With the goal of creating a winter wonderland, guests were invited into a space framed with ivory velvet draping, trees wrapped with fairy lights, rose gold pendants hanging from the ceiling and an abundance of white, pink and burgundy flowers.
Just prior to the ceremony, the officiating Rabbi asked family members to whisper words of wisdom and advice to the young couple. Both Mike and Becca claim that their Bedeken ceremony - a ritual common in Jewish weddings - was profoundly moving and among their fondest memories of their wedding.
The newlyweds travelled to London, South Africa and Mozambique on their honeymoon, where they visited UK-based friends, toured Cape Town’s winelands, took a Safari in Sabi Sands and enjoyed the beaches of Mozambique.
Newlywed life for the couple remains busy, but they make time to entertain regularly, hosting family-style dinner parties and serving up Mike’s homemade ricotta.
