Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/162483
Food of Love Kim Hausch & Vic Venu September 24, 2011 Sparkling Hill Resort Vernon, B.C. Written by Anna Dupas Photographed by Camille Bensler I t's been said that the best relationships blossom out of friendship. Vic Venu and Kim Hausch, Vancouver newlyweds who exchanged vows last September, are testament to that truism. While it wasn't exactly love at first sight for the happy couple, who met while working together at Earls Restaurant on Vancouver's North Shore, it was definitely a case of mutual admiration. "I liked her from the start, absolutely," says Vic. "I thought she was great to work with, super funny, friendly and kind." Kim echoes the sentiment, adding: "I always thought he was such a nice guy. We were both in other relationships at the time, but I was impressed by how he was always so nice to his girlfriend." Long hours working side by side as restaurant managers helped forge what Kim describes as "a really nice friendship." Still, the two pals parted ways when they retired their aprons at Earls to attend university. Vic headed to the University of British Columbia to study medicine, and Kim, an ex-model, became an advertising professional. "We'd keep in touch from time to time," Kim says, noting: "We're both from the North Shore, which is a small community, so everyone kind of knows each other." It was almost inevitable, then, that the pair's paths would eventually cross again, which happened one summer's day in 2008. Soon after, Vic contacted Kim on Facebook to suggest they meet up for drinks. As she recalls, "It was supposed to be just drinks as friends, but the drinks turned into a date, and we've been together pretty much ever since." The union felt so right that Kim, a self-described "anti-bride," even began to entertain thoughts of marriage. "I wasn't one of those girls who dreamed about getting married," she reveals. "With previous boyfriends, I never really thought about it. That changed with Vic." As is the case with any good storybook romance, both parties were on the same page. "He always said he wanted to be engaged before 2010," Kim says, "so I kind of thought he might propose during Christmas of 2009." Her intuition proved accurate. On December 28, 2009, the striking blonde returned to their shared home from an afternoon of postChristmas shopping. Before she could unbag her Boxing Week bargains, she spotted a single red rose and card atop the kitchen counter. The card contained a cryptic message: "Please pack your overnight bag and be ready for a 6 p.m. pick-up." R E AL WE D D I N G S . CA p30-35_Food of Love.indd 31 31 4/24/12 2:53:16 PM